snot

Definition

Mucus, especially mucus from the nose.

Etymology

From Middle English snot, snotte, from Old English ġesnot, *snott, from Proto-West Germanic *snott, *snutt, from Proto-Germanic *snuttuz (“nasal mucus”), from the same base as snout. Related also to snite. Cognate with North Frisian snot (“snot”), Saterland Frisian Snotte (“snot”), West Frisian snotte (“snot”), Dutch snot (“snot”), German Low German Snött (“snot”), dialectal German Schnutz (“snot”), Danish snot (“snot”), Norwegian snott (“snot”).

Example Sentences

• "Once, I remember, the little fair-haired boy had a choking fit at dinner, and a stream of snot ran out of his nose on to his plate in a way horrible to see."
• "With no warning a gang of little snots — none larger or older than I was — threw me to the ground, pulled my knickers below my knees — without any explanation, and allowed me to get up."