Library / English Dictionary

MUCUS

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Protective secretion of the mucous membranes; in the gut it lubricates the passage of food and protects the epithelial cells; in the nose and throat and lungs it can make it difficult for bacteria to penetrate the body through the epithelium

Synonyms:

mucous secretion; mucus

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Hypernyms ("mucus" is a kind of...):

secretion (a functionally specialized substance (especially one that is not a waste) released from a gland or cell)

Meronyms (substance of "mucus"):

mucin (a nitrogenous substance found in mucous secretions; a lubricant that protects body surfaces)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "mucus"):

phlegm; sputum (expectorated matter; saliva mixed with discharges from the respiratory passages; in ancient and medieval physiology it was believed to cause sluggishness)

snot (nasal mucus)

booger (dried nasal mucus)

leucorrhea; leukorrhea (discharge of white mucous material from the vagina; often an indication of infection)

Derivation:

mucous (of or secreting or covered with or resembling mucus)

Credits

 Context examples: 

Consequently, it inhibits ovulation and changes the normal cycle of cervical mucus and endometrium.

(Norethindrone, NCI Thesaurus)

Olfactory glands in the epithelium produce and secrete mucus which forms a layer over the epithelium.

(Olfactory Epithelium, NCI Thesaurus)

The paranasal sinuses open into the nasal cavity (space inside the nose) and are lined with cells that make mucus to keep the nose from drying out during breathing.

(Paranasal sinus, NCI Dictionary)

They are lined with cells that make mucus, which keeps your nose from drying out.

(Nasal Cancer, NIH: National Cancer Institute)

M. gordonae is commonly found in tap water and soil, is commensal in human mucus membranes, urine and gastric fluid and is rarely pathogenic except in immunocompromised individuals.

(Mycobacterium gordonae, NCI Thesaurus)

A question about an individual's mucus in mouth or throat at its worst.

(Mucus in Mouth and Throat at its Worst, NCI Thesaurus)

At other times, they can cause lung symptoms similar to tuberculosis: • Cough • Weight loss • Coughing up blood or mucus • Weakness or fatigue • Fever and chills • Night sweats • Lack of appetite and weight loss

(Mycobacterial Infections, NIH)

Human colonic adenocarcinoma cells that are able to express differentiation features characteristic of mature intestinal cells, such as enterocytes or mucus cells.

(Caco-2 Cell, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

They include: • A cough that produces a lot of mucus • Shortness of breath, especially with physical activity • Wheezing • Chest tightness

(COPD, NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

A. odontolyticus is found in mucus membranes and is an opportunistic pathogen.

(Actinomyces odontolyticus, NCI Thesaurus)