The words "sialism" and "sialismus" both refer to a disease or disorder affecting the salivary glands. The correct spelling of the word uses the letter combination "s-i-a-l-i-s-m", which is pronounced /saɪəˈlɪzəm/. The "s-i-a" represents the Greek root word "sialon" meaning saliva. The "l-i-s-m" is a suffix that denotes a state or condition. The alternate spelling "sialismus" uses the Latin suffix "-us" and is also pronounced as /saɪəˈlɪzməs/. Both spellings are acceptable, but "sialism" is more commonly used.
Salivation, ptyalism, sialorrhea.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The word "sialism" or "sialismus" is a medical term derived from the Greek word "sialon" (σίαλον), which means "saliva" or "spittle". In medical terminology, "sial-" refers to saliva or salivary glands, and "-ism" denotes a condition or state. Therefore, "sialism" refers to any disorder or condition related to excessive salivation or increased production of saliva.