Expletive

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ɪkˈspliːtɪv/
• US IPA: /ˈɛksplÉ™tɪv/

Origin

From Late Latin explētīvus ("serving to fill out"), from Latin explētus, the perfect passive participle of expleō ("fill out"), itself from ex ("out, completely") + *pleō ("fill").

Full definition of expletive

Adjective

1. Serving to fill up, merely for effect, otherwise redundant.
• HallamExpletive imagery.
• BarrowExpletive phrases to plump his speech.
2. Marked by expletives (phrase-fillers).

Synonyms

• expletory

Noun

1. A profane, vulgar term, notably a curse or obscene oath.
2. (linguistics) A word without meaning added to fill a syntactic position.#:Example: - It in It is snowing
3. (linguistics) A word that adds to the strength of a phrase without affecting its meaning; an intensifier.#:Example: - bloody in I'll give you a bloody good hiding.