Viscous
/ˈvɪs.kəs/noun
Having a thick, sticky consistency that resists flowing easily.
Did you know?The word ultimately traces back to Latin viscum, meaning both “mistletoe” and the sticky birdlime made from its berries, because ancient people literally used plant goo to catch birds.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*weis-
“to ooze, flow, or be sticky”
Latin
Latin
viscum
“mistletoe; birdlime, a sticky glue made from mistletoe berries”
Late Latin
Latin
viscōsus
“full of birdlime; sticky, glutinous”
Old French
Old French
visqueux
“sticky, adhesive”
Middle English
English
viscous
“sticky, glutinous; thick and slow-flowing”
Modern English
English
viscous
“having a thick, sticky consistency that resists flowing easily”