For every commonplace word that describes a bodily function, there’s a more technical term. What you call “sweating,” a doctor might call “diaphoresis.” “Burping” is “eructation,” and “crying” is “lacrimation.” But today’s word is “deglutition,” which is another way to describe “the action or process of swallowing.” It is a more technical term, but it’s actually a newer word than “swallow.” “Deglutition” came into English around the 16th century from the French “déglutition,” which traces back to the Latin “deglutire,” meaning “swallow down.” “Swallow,” however, has a direct line to Old English, dating to the pre-13th century. Often the simpler, more straightforward words stick with us longer.