slime

1 of 2

noun

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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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 See all Example Sentences for slime 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of slime was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near slime

Cite this Entry

“Slime.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slime. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on slime

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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