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Question

What is the difference between mucus and mucous?

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Solution

Mucus is defined as the fluid secreted from mucous membranes. The word never functions as an adjective, only a noun. Here are some examples of the proper usage of mucus:

Because Callie did not cover her mouth when she sneezed, mucus flew into Shaw’s hair.

Jeff sobbed so hard that mucus oozed down his face and dripped onto his shirt.

Air pollution causes inflammation that creates mucus and swelling that blocks internal air passageways.

Mucous is an adjective and it is defined as of or related to membranes which secrete the fluid we call mucus.

See the following sentences for examples.

Dani had an infection in all her mucous membranes.

As Jeff became more ill, a mucous film covered his airways and made it impossible to breath.

Pavlick said 99% of melanomas begin on the skin, with the other 1% starting in mucous membranes or, rarely, the eyes.

Mucus is only ever a noun. Mucous is only an adjective.

Mucus is secreted by mucous membranes.

You can remember to use mucous as an adjective since it ends in –ous. It shares this ending with many other adjectives, like disastrous, monogamous, and ferrous.


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