Snot Was Once a Perfectly Polite Word
Snot is nasal mucus. The word was ordinary English before it became coarse.
Snot is nasal mucus, and informally a contemptible person. It was once neutral vocabulary: Old English *gesnot* was the ordinary word, and it also meant the burnt part of a candle wick — which is why *to snuff* a candle and *snot* share the idea of something to be removed from a tip. The body produces over a litre of mucus a day, most of it swallowed unnoticed; the word for it became impolite long after the substance stopped being discussed.
- Nasal mucus. *Wipe your nose.*
- A contemptible person. *A little snot.*
- Snotty — arrogant. *A snotty remark.*
- Snout — a relative. *A snout.*
- Old English — *gesnot*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | snot | Snot. |
| Adjective | snotty | Snotty. |
| Related | snout | A snout. |
| Related | sneeze | To sneeze. |
| Dutch | snot | Snot. |
- A cold produces snot.Body.
- A snotty tone of voice.Figurative.
- Gesnot was ordinary English.History.
What mucus does
- Traps dust, pollen and bacteria before they reach the lungs
- Keeps airways moist so tissue does not dry out
- Contains antibodies and enzymes that attack microbes
- Cilia sweep it toward the throat to be swallowed
- Over a litre a day is produced, mostly unnoticed
Old English *gesnot*, nasal mucus, related to *snout* and to Dutch *snot*.
Was snot always a rude word?
No. It was the ordinary Old English term, and it also named the burnt tip of a candle wick.
How much mucus does the body make?
Over a litre a day, most of it swept to the throat and swallowed without notice.