mucus
Meaning of mucus: Mucus is a viscous, protective fluid that coats and moistens internal surfaces, trapping particles and helping shield the tissue beneath it.
Definition of mucus
Mucus is a thick, slippery fluid produced by specialized cells and glands in the membranes lining many internal surfaces of the body, including the nose, mouth, throat, airways, stomach, intestines, and reproductive tract.
Mucus serves a protective function, forming a barrier that keeps the underlying tissue moist and helps trap dust, microorganisms, and other particles before they can reach or damage more sensitive tissue beneath. In the airways, mucus combines with the sweeping motion of tiny hairlike structures called cilia to help clear inhaled debris and organisms upward and out of the lungs.
The amount and consistency of mucus produced can change with infection, irritation, allergy, or certain chronic conditions, and a noticeable increase in mucus, or a change in its color or thickness, is often one of the first signs that the lining producing it has become irritated or infected.
Used in a sentence
The patient described increased mucus production and cough over several days.
Good to know
A change in mucus color or thickness is a common but nonspecific finding, since it can result from ordinary irritation as well as from infection, and does not by itself indicate a particular cause.
Word origin
Where “mucus” comes from
Formed from Latin mucus, meaning slime or nasal discharge.