mucosa

noun

mu·co·sa | \ myü-ˈkō-zə

plural mucosae\ myü-ˈkō-(ˌ)zē

, -ˌzī \ or mucosas

Definition of mucosa

: a membrane rich in mucous glands specifically : one that lines body cavities and passages (as of the gastrointestinal or respiratory tract) which communicate directly or indirectly with the outside of the body : mucous membrane … to maximize the absorptive area of the epithelium, the mucosa of the small intestine is remodeled into an intricate array of finger or leaf-like protrusions, known as villi, which extend into the lumen. — Benjamin D. Simons Inhibition of neuraminidase prevents inactivation of influenza virus by respiratory mucus and likely facilitates infection of the airway mucosa. — Frederick G. Hayden et al.

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Some scientists think that Lemierre syndrome may develop when bacteria invades a person’s mucosa, which is the membrane that lines various parts of the body, GARD says. — Korin Miller, SELF, "A 23-Year-Old College Student Died From Lemierre Syndrome, a Rare Infection She Thought Was Tonsillitis," 6 Nov. 2018 The detergent can get on the skin or mucosa (inner lining of mouth). — Brittney Mcnamara, Teen Vogue, "What Eating Tide Pods Does to Your Body," 18 Jan. 2018 In theory, ingestion of undiluted formulations could cause injuries like burns to gastrointestinal mucosa, abdominal pain, gastrointestinal bleeding, and gut perforation. — Sarah Brookbank, Cincinnati.com, "In case you were wondering, this is why eating Tide Pods is terrible for you," 19 Jan. 2018 The cuts don’t need to be big—even microscopic disruptions in your vaginal mucosa can be enough, Dr. Streicher says. — Korin Miller, SELF, "Can I Really Not Sleep With a Tampon in During My Period?," 23 Jan. 2018 Heat and water loss are closely related: heating the air in the nasal cavities means the lining of the nasal cavity (mucosa) becomes cooler than core body temperature; at the same time, water evaporates (becomes vapour) to make the air moist. — David King, CNN, "Why cold air makes your nose run," 13 Dec. 2017 Also known as evil-sounding aphthous ulcers, canker sores are round or oval lesions that show up in the mucosa (delicate tissue) of your mouth. — Zahra Barnes, SELF, "Why Trying to Cure Canker Sores With Alum May Not Be Worth It," 12 Dec. 2017 Those specimens included serum, whole blood, urine, saliva, and vaginal mucosa swabs when the patient wasn’t menstruating. — Fox News, "Zika detected in woman's vagina for up to 2 weeks, scientists say," 18 Oct. 2016 For his part, Ross wonders if perhaps the nasal mucosa— — David Noonan, Scientific American, "Smell Test May Sniff out Oncoming Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s," 12 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mucosa.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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The first known use of mucosa was in 1859

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mucosa

noun

mu·co·sa | \ myü-ˈkō-zə

plural mucosae\ -(ˌ)zē

, -ˌzī

\ or mucosas

Medical Definition of mucosa

: a membrane rich in mucous glands that lines body passages and cavities (as of the digestive, respiratory, and genitourinary tracts) which connect directly or indirectly with the exterior : mucous membrane