sputum
sputum — noun
1. the thick, sticky mucus and other fluids that a person coughs out of their airwa
the thick, sticky mucus and other fluids that a person coughs out of their airways, often because they have a chest infection or lung disease
The nurse sent a sample of Sirin's sputum to the lab for testing.
collocation: sputum sample
Eli's doctor checked the colour of his sputum for signs of a lung infection.
The lab report showed bacteria in Kofi's sputum, so the doctor prescribed antibiotics.
Ada coughed up sputum after her chest infection and showed it to the clinic nurse.
The doctor asked Élise to provide a sputum sample first thing in the morning.
- phlegm
the everyday word for coughed-up mucus; less clinical than 'sputum'
- mucus
a broader term for any slimy secretion from the body's mucous membranes, not limited to coughed-up matter
- expectoration
a formal medical term for the act or product of coughing up matter; rarely used outside specialist writing
文法句型
sputum + noun (sputum sample / sputum specimen)
produce / bring up + sputum
用法筆記
This is a clinical term used mainly in medical reports, hospital records, and doctor-patient discussions about respiratory conditions. In everyday conversation, most English speakers use the word 'phlegm' instead of 'sputum.'