saline
saline — noun
1. a prepared liquid that contains salt dissolved in pure water, used in healthcare
a prepared liquid that contains salt dissolved in pure water, used in healthcare for tasks such as cleaning wounds, clearing a stuffy nose, or giving fluids to a patient who is dehydrated
After the accident, the nurse cleaned the cut on Karim's arm with saline.
uncountable: used without article in medical context
The pharmacist recommended using a saline spray to relieve Adina's dry nose.
collocation: saline spray
When Adaeze arrived at the hospital with severe dehydration, the doctors put her on a saline drip.
Beatrix keeps a small bottle of sterile saline in her bag for cleaning her contact lenses.
- salt solution
more general; can refer to any mixture of salt and water, not necessarily sterile
用法筆記
In everyday speech, 'saline' is used mainly in medical or healthcare contexts. For the salt water you cook with or find at the beach, use 'salt water' instead.
常見錯誤
saline — adjective
- salinepositive
- more salinecomparative
- most salinesuperlative
1. describes something, especially water, soil, or air, that has salt in it
describes something, especially water, soil, or air, that has salt in it
The soil near the coast is too saline for most vegetables to grow well.
attributive and predicative: saline soil / soil is saline
Meera took a deep breath of the cool, saline air as she walked along the beach.
The lake was so saline that Wei could float on his back without any effort.
Farmers in the region are worried because the groundwater has become more saline every year.
Certain types of fish, such as tuna and salmon, live only in saline water.
用法筆記
Use 'saline' for describing natural environments such as seas, lakes, and coastal soil. For food that tastes of salt, use 'salty' instead of 'saline'.