mucilage

Meaning

Noun

• A thick gluey substance (gum) produced by many plants and some microorganisms.

Origin

• From Middle English muscilage, mussillage, from Middle French mucilage ("viscous substance found in vegetable material"), from Late Latin mūcilāgō ("musty or moldy juice"). See Greek μούχλα ("mold"), and related derivatives, for example mushroom, from *meus-.