rheum

noun

ˈrüm 

1

: a watery discharge from the mucous membranes especially of the eyes or nose

2

archaic : tears

rheumy

ˈrü-mē 

adjective

Examples of rheum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Eye boogers are primarily a combination of mucus, tears, and skin cells known as rheum and are scientifically termed rheumatic. — Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 16 Oct. 2022

Amir began wheezing at night — once so badly that an ambulance was called — and woke up most mornings to find his eyes swollen shut with rheum. — Hannah Natanson, Washington Post, 9 July 2018

Word History

Etymology

Middle English reume, from Anglo-French, from Latin rheuma, from Greek, literally, flow, flux, from rhein to flow — more at stream

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for rheum

• blume
• boom
• broom
• doom
• flume
• fume
• gloom
• glume
• groom
• loom
• plume
• room

Kids Definition

rheum

noun

ˈrüm 

: a watery discharge from the mucous membranes especially of the eyes or nose

rheumy

ˈrü-mē 

adjective

Medical Definition

rheum

1 of 2 noun

ˈrüm 

: a watery discharge from the mucous membranes especially of the eyes or nose

also : a condition (as a cold) marked by such discharge

rheumy

-ē 

adjective

Rheum

2 of 2 noun

Rhe·​um ˈrē-əm 

: a genus of Asian herbs (family Polygonaceae) that have large leaves, small flowers, and a 3-winged fruit and that include the rhubarbs (as the Chinese rhubarb, R. officinale, and rhapontic, R. rhaponticum)