slime

1 of 2

noun

ˈslīm 

1

: soft moist earth or clay

especially : viscous mud

2

: a viscous, glutinous, or gelatinous substance: such as

a

: a mucous or mucoid secretion of various animals (such as slugs and catfishes)

b

: a product of wet crushing consisting of ore ground so fine as to pass a 200-mesh screen

3

US, informal : a morally repulsive or odious person

slime

2 of 2

verb

slimed; sliming

transitive verb

1

: to smear or cover with slime

2

: to remove slime from (something, such as fish for canning)

intransitive verb

: to become slimy

Synonyms

Noun

• guck
• gook
• mire
• muck
• mud
• ooze
• slop
• sludge
• slush

Examples of slime in a Sentence

Noun

Green slime covers the surface of the pond.

She thinks men are slime.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Iron bacteria, in particular, tend to thrive in residential plumbing systems, creating a red or brown slime on the interior of the pipes. —Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Oct. 2024

The secret weapon is snail slime, which delivers unbeatable hydration, and helps to protect the skin’s barrier. —Kat Romero, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2024

Verb

Price initially assumed the cast would hate getting slimed, but he was quickly proven wrong. —Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Aug. 2024

Sam spots a slug sliming its way along a bed of moist leaves and points it out to her father—even these yucky creatures can look like miniature miracles. —Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 9 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English slīm; akin to Middle High German slīm slime, Latin limus mud — more at lime

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1628, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing slime

• slime mold

Kids Definition

slime

noun

ˈslīm

1

: soft moist earth or clay

especially : sticky slippery or sticky mud

2

: a slippery or sticky substance

especially : one that various animals (as slugs or catfishes) secrete onto their skin