mucilaginous

[myoo-suh-laj-uh-nuhs]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or secreting mucilage.

2. of the nature of or resembling mucilage; moist, soft, and viscid.

Other Word Forms

• mucilaginously adverb
• nonmucilaginous adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mucilaginous¹

1640–50; < Late Latin mūcilāgin- (stem of mūcilāgō ) mucilage + -ous

Example Sentences

But there is one little thing: Okra, like marshmallow root and aloe vera, is mucilaginous, meaning it can get slimy when sliced and cooked.

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The slick surface of seaweeds such as seaweed and kelp is attributed to alginate, a mucilaginous substance.

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That impulse is countered by the mantle, the mucilaginous layer above the outer core and below Earth’s crust, the immense gravitational field of which grasps the inner core and slows its spin.

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When ground and combined with water, flaxseed's mucilaginous superpowers kick into high gear, yielding an elastic, sticky consistency much like beaten egg that's known as flax egg.

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The setting agent As the name suggests, the first marshmallows were set with the mucilaginous root of the marsh mallow plant, which McGee describes as “the weedy relative of the hollyhock”.

Read more on The Guardian