Mucus: meaning, definitions and examples

This is a duplicate entry and should be considered as part of the context for 'mucus' as described above.

• Refer to examples provided for 'mucus'.

Refers specifically to the thick, sticky mucus produced and secreted by the respiratory passages during illnesses like bronchitis or pneumonia. Often used in a more medical or clinical context.

• The doctor checked my lungs for phlegm.
• Coughing up phlegm can be a sign of a respiratory infection.

A medical term specifically referring to the combination of saliva and mucus coughed up from the respiratory tract, used in diagnostic contexts.

• The doctor asked for a sputum sample to test for infection.
• The lab results from the sputum test came back positive.

Usually describes a thicker, more viscous substance that has a negative connotation. Commonly used to describe an unpleasant, slippery substance not limited to bodily fluids.

• The pond was covered in green slime.
• The slime on the kitchen floor was disgusting.