deglutition
C2formal, technical, medical
Definition
Meaning
The act or process of swallowing.
The physiological process involving the coordinated movement of muscles to move food, liquid, or other material from the mouth, through the pharynx and oesophagus, into the stomach. Also used metaphorically for the act of absorbing or accepting something.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Highly specific, clinical term not used in casual conversation. Almost exclusively denotes the physiological act, though rare metaphorical usage exists in academic or literary contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling is identical.
Connotations
Purely technical/medical in both varieties. No slang or informal use.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both, but may appear slightly more in American medical documentation due to differing healthcare terminology conventions.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
N (of N)Adj + NV + NVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[None specific; term is too technical]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in medical, biological, and anatomical papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Not used; 'swallowing' is the universal term.
Technical
Core term in otolaryngology, speech-language pathology, gastroenterology, and physiology.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The patient was asked to deglutinate the water.
- The process involves deglutinating the bolus.
American English
- The patient was instructed to deglutinate the barium solution.
- The ability to safely deglutinate is assessed.
adverb
British English
- The bolus moved deglutitively through the pharynx.
- [Extremely rare usage]
American English
- The muscles contracted deglutitively.
- [Extremely rare usage]
adjective
British English
- The deglutitive phase was analysed.
- He exhibited impaired deglutitive function.
American English
- The deglutitive reflex was triggered.
- A videofluoroscopic swallow study evaluates deglutitive physiology.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- [Not applicable; word is C2 level]
- [Not applicable; word is C2 level]
- Doctors study the complex process of deglutition.
- The X-ray showed the final stage of deglutition.
- The speech therapist diagnosed a disorder affecting the patient's deglutition.
- The monograph provided a detailed analysis of the neural control of deglutition.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'DEe-GLOO-TISH-un' sounds a bit like 'The Gulp Edition' — a special edition about swallowing.
Conceptual Metaphor
ACCEPTANCE IS SWALLOWING (e.g., 'He swallowed the lie' / metaphorical deglutition of an idea).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'глотание' (glotanie) which is the common, non-technical word. 'Деглютиция' is a direct transliteration but is not a standard Russian term; the correct technical term is 'глотание' or 'акт глотания'.
Common Mistakes
- Mispronouncing as /dɛˈɡluːtɪʃən/ (dee-gloo-tish-un).
- Using it in everyday contexts where 'swallowing' is appropriate.
- Misspelling as 'deglutation'.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'deglutition' MOST appropriately used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a specialized medical/technical term. The common word is 'swallowing'.
It would sound highly unnatural and pretentious. Always use 'swallowing' in everyday contexts.
Medicine, specifically otolaryngology (ENT), gastroenterology, speech-language pathology, and physiology.
To 'deglutinate' is the corresponding verb, but it is even rarer than the noun. 'Swallow' is the standard verb.