ooze

Ooze is a term in English that describes a thick, viscous liquid that seeps slowly. In everyday language it can refer to mud, slime, or any sticky fluid that is secreted or exuded by a source. As a verb, ooze means to leak out slowly or to exude in a slow, dripping manner.

In marine geology and sedimentology, ooze designates fine-grained pelagic sediment formed from the accumulation of microscopic organic matter and mineral particles on the sea floor. Calcareous ooze is rich in calcium carbonate from foraminifera and coccolithophores; siliceous ooze contains silica from radiolarians and diatoms. The composition and rate of accumulation reflect ocean productivity, dissolution conditions, and water depth, and such sediments serve as records of past climates and ocean chemistry.

In biology and everyday use, ooze can describe slime produced by organisms, such as snail mucus or the gelatinous secretions of slime molds. In medical or veterinary contexts, the term is sometimes used informally for exudates from wounds or inflamed tissue, though more precise terminology is preferred.

In fantasy literature and role-playing games, an ooze is a class of amorphous, gelatinous creatures that can engulf or dissolve organic matter. They typically have no fixed shape, variable size, and a tendency to be immune to certain conventional attacks. Notable examples in popular fiction include gelatinous cubes and black puddings, which are often used as hazards or adversaries in dungeon settings.