snot
Americannoun
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Vulgar. mucus from the nose.
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Informal. a disrespectful or supercilious person.
noun
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nasal mucus or discharge
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slang a contemptible person
Etymology
Origin of snot
1350–1400; Middle English; compare Middle Low German, Middle Dutch snotte, Old English gesnot, Danish snot
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Thompson’s Hedda is a clever, status-conscious snot raised to believe that her sole purpose is to be a rich man’s wife.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2025
It being so stylized, and it being so cold that snot was running down my face.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2024
Begay was covered in sheep snot, but still felt content.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 31, 2023
Dr. Andrew Bowman, a molecular epidemiologist at Ohio State University, was striding through the barn in waterproof green overalls, searching for swine snot.
From New York Times ● Jul. 25, 2023
His arm goes around me, and I bury my face in his rib cage, tears and snot wetting his shirt.
From "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
