mucous

UK: /ˈmjuːkəs/ US: /ˈmjukəs/ ,(myo̅o̅′kəs)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

mu•cous /ˈmyukəs/   adj. [before a noun]

1. Physiology of or resembling mucus.
2. Physiology containing or releasing mucus:
   a mucous membrane.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

mu•cous  (myo̅o̅′kəs), adj. 

1. Physiology pertaining to, consisting of, or resembling mucus.
2. Physiology containing or secreting mucus.

• Latin mūcōsus slimy, mucous, equivalent. to mūc(us) snot (see mucus) + -ōsus -ous
• 1640–50;

mu•cos•i•ty  (myo̅o̅ kos′i tē), n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

mucous / ˈmjuːkəs/, mucose / ˈmjuːkəʊs -kəʊz/ adjective

1. of, resembling, or secreting mucus

Etymology: 17th Century: from Latin mūcōsus slimy, from mucus

mucosity / mjuːˈkɒsɪtɪ/ noun

USAGE
The noun mucus is often misspelled mucous. Mucous can only be correctly used as an adjective