mucous membrane
- a lubricating membrane lining an internal surface or an organ, as the alimentary, respiratory, and genitourinary canals.
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Origin of mucous membrane
First recorded in 1805–15
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
mucous membrane
- a mucus-secreting membrane that lines body cavities or passages that are open to the external environmentAlso called: mucosa
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
mucous membrane
- A membrane lining all body passages that communicate with the exterior, such as the respiratory, genitourinary, and alimentary tracts, and having cells and associated glands that secrete mucus.mucosa
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
mucous membrane
[myōō′kəs]
- Any of the membranes lining the passages of the body, such as the respiratory and digestive tracts, that open to the outside. Cells in the mucous membranes secrete mucus, which lubricates the membranes and protects against infection.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
mucous membrane
[(myooh-kuhs)]
The membrane that lines passageways and cavities in the body that lead to the outside, such as the mouth, gastrointestinal tract, nose, vagina, and urethra. These membranes are equipped with glands that secrete mucus.
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The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.