mucous membrane
Use Mucous membrane in a sentencemucous membrane
1805–15
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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| mucous membrane | |
| —n | |
| Also called: mucosa a mucus-secreting membrane that lines body cavities or passages that are open to the external environment | |
| mucomembranous | |
| —adj | |
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| the offspring of a zebra and a donkey. |
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
mucous membrane n.
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. Also called mucosa.
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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mucous membrane  (my 'kəs) Pronunciation Key
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. |
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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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.
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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mucous membrane
membrane lining bodily cavities and canals that lead to the outside, chiefly the respiratory, digestive, and urogenital tracts. Mucous membranes line many tracts and structures of the body, including the mouth, nose, eyelids, windpipe and lungs, stomach and intestines, and the ureters, urethra, and urinary bladder. The membranes vary in structure, but they all have a surface layer of epithelial cells over a deeper layer of connective tissue. They are called mucous because they contain cells that secrete mucin, a mucopolysaccharide that is the principal constituent of mucus.
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