expletive Hear it!

expletive definition

ex·pletive (eks′plə tiv)

noun

  1. an oath or exclamation, esp. an obscenity
  2. a word, phrase, etc. not needed for the sense but used merely to fill out a sentence or metrical line, for grammar, rhythm, balance, etc. there in “there is nothing left” is an expletive
  3. Rare anything serving as a filler

Etymology: LL expletivus, serving to fill < L expletus, pp. of explere, to fill < ex-, out, up + plere, to fill: see full

adjective

used to fill out a sentence, line, etc.
also expletory ex′·ple·to′·ry (-tôr′ē)

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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