snot

American  

[snot] / snɒt /

noun

1. Vulgar. mucus from the nose.

2. Informal. a disrespectful or supercilious person.

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snot British  

/ snɒt /

noun

1. nasal mucus or discharge

2. slang a contemptible person

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Etymology

Origin of snot

1350–1400; Middle English; compare Middle Low German, Middle Dutch snotte, Old English gesnot, Danish snot

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Explanation

Snot is the discharge that comes from your nose when you have a bad cold. You'll want to carry tissues or a handkerchief with you when you're sneezing, to keep the snot contained. There are two meanings of the noun snot: the first, mucus, can be unpleasant. The second meaning, an irritatingly arrogant person, is also unpleasant. If a little kid acts like a snot, his babysitter is definitely not going to let him stay up past his bedtime. If you're a snot to your best friend, she might not speak to you the next day. Snot comes from the Old English word gesnot, or "nasal mucus," from a Germanic root.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

snot

Lactoferrin is an immune protein present in almost every body fluid except blood, including breast milk, tears, saliva, snot, and intestinal mucus.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 28, 2026

"Upload raw images, no filters. You could have snot coming out your nose and nobody would judge."

From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026

Don’t look now, but a Lincoln Riley team just beat the snot out of a Big Ten bruiser.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2025

Sparks's fans agree — a recent Goodreads review enthuses that "The snot bubbles were bubbling the entire time I was reading this book."

From Salon ● Oct. 8, 2024

Ugly-crying, his shoulders shaking, snot streaming from his nose.

From "Maybe He Just Likes You" by Barbara Dee

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