rheum

American  

[room] / rum /

noun

1. a thin discharge of the mucous membranes, especially during a cold.

2. catarrh; cold.

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rheum British  

/ ruːm /

noun

1. a watery discharge from the eyes or nose

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Other Word Forms

• rheumic adjective

Etymology

Origin of rheum

1350–1400; Middle English reume < Late Latin rheuma < Greek rheûma ( rheu-, variant stem of rheîn to flow, stream + -ma noun suffix of result)

Example Sentences

Surprised and relieved that he could see me through all that rheum, I said, “How come?”

From Salon • Jan. 28, 2014

Of "pocketable" bulk, it is a creature to fend for its weekending master or mistress against all skulking shapes of boredom, unsociability, indisposedness and even of palatal lassitude and the "thin rheum."

From Time Magazine Archive

There was plenty of rheum at the top.

From Time Magazine Archive

One of his comrades was drowned in a river whirlpool; he himself nigh died of a jungle rheum.

From Time Magazine Archive

Senna, cassia senna, jalap, aloe, rhubarb, rheum palmatum.

From Zoonomia, Vol. II Or, the Laws of Organic Life by Darwin, Erasmus