# Strict Definition of Booger **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 15, 2007, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strict-definition-of-booger/408120 "2007-06-15T14:00:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![THespos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@THespos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/THespos)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strict-definition-of-booger/408120/1 "2007-06-15T14:00:01Z")
Help settle an ongoing disagreement between my wife and me. Unless you’re easily grossed out, in which case you should bail from this thread now. My wife believes a booger is a booger. That is, a booger way up inside the nostril is still a booger. I believe a booger doesn’t technically become a booger until it is either hanging or otherwise visible in the nostril. I further believe that it’s cheating when a short person (my wife) looks all the way up the nose of a tall person (me) from her vantage point closer to the ground and announces that the tall person has a booger that needs to be taken care of. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strict-definition-of-booger/408120/2 "2007-06-15T14:17:56Z")
I’m with your wife. A “booger” is a gelatinous or hardened bit of mucus with dust, debris or germs. Doesn’t matter where it is - your nose, your fingertip, under the manager’s desk or in a tissue. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strict-definition-of-booger/408120/3 "2007-06-15T14:21:52Z")
Nope. A booger is something that can be used as a tool. It can be eaten (bleh), thrown, wiped, or stuck on the back of someone’s collar. If it’s in the nose, it’s in its natural habitat and ceases to be a booger. It’s part of the natural habitat. The appropriate response when shorty looks up your nose is to threaten to blow a snot rocket. That should get her running. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strict-definition-of-booger/408120/4 "2007-06-15T14:31:20Z")
Webster’s says “a piece of dried nasal mucus”, which I take is an indication that they don’t care where it is as long as it’s dried up. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strict-definition-of-booger/408120/5 "2007-06-15T16:18:03Z")
Just because a turd has yet to be shat doesn’t make it any less of a turd. I’m with your wife… a booger is, regardless of lat long, always a booger. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strict-definition-of-booger/408120/6 "2007-06-15T16:18:47Z")
[QUOTE=THespos] My wife believes a booger is a booger. That is, a booger way up inside the nostril is still a booger. [/QUOTE] No, it’snot. ---
**Author:** ![StinkyBurrito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9e5f3/32.png) [@StinkyBurrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StinkyBurrito)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strict-definition-of-booger/408120/7 "2007-06-15T16:56:57Z")
[QUOTE=Hal Briston] No, it’snot. [/QUOTE] HA! It’s kind of like the difference between magma and lava isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strict-definition-of-booger/408120/8 "2007-06-15T17:17:07Z")
I’m with the “location irrelevant” crowd. It’s a booger whereever it is. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strict-definition-of-booger/408120/9 "2007-06-15T20:32:55Z")
You can pick your friends You can pick your nose But you cant pick your friend’s nose. And umm… it’s a booger wherever it may be. Dont be such a booger discriminator 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strict-definition-of-booger/408120/10 "2007-06-15T20:35:29Z")
[QUOTE=Autolycus] You can pick your friends You can pick your nose But you cant pick your friend’s nose. [/QUOTE] Sez YOU! ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strict-definition-of-booger/408120/11 "2007-06-15T20:53:20Z")
[QUOTE=Lute Skywatcher] Webster’s says “a piece of dried nasal mucus”, which I take is an indication that they don’t care where it is as long as it’s dried up. [/QUOTE] So if it’s still wet when it “falls out” of my nose, it’snot a booger?? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strict-definition-of-booger/408120/12 "2007-06-15T21:03:44Z")
[QUOTE=gigi] So if it’s still wet when it “falls out” of my nose, it’snot a booger?? [/QUOTE] Going by the strict dictionary definiton, no it’snot. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strict-definition-of-booger/408120/13 "2007-06-18T14:57:24Z")
_You think you’ve got a booger, but it’snot. You think you’ve got a booger, but it’snot. You think you’ve got a booger, {Something something something} You think you’ve got a booger, but it’snot._ Regardless of what the song says, your wife is right. ---
**Author:** ![TheseGoToEleven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/848f3c/32.png) [@TheseGoToEleven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheseGoToEleven)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strict-definition-of-booger/408120/14 "2007-06-18T15:07:56Z")
I vote for the existential view: A booger is called into existance as an entity when someone calls it a booger, no matter it’s location. To wit: when your wife says “you have a booger in your nose”, well, now you have a booger in your nose. Snot, on the other hand, is snot. _When you’re dancing with your honey and your nose gets kind of runny you make think it’s kind of funny but it’snot!_ ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strict-definition-of-booger/408120/15 "2007-06-18T15:15:52Z")
I used the restroom at a local Shari’s restaurant over the weekend. Someone had taken the time using a Sharpie to make what looked like a miniature parking lot in about a 2 square foot area of a wall. Above it was written “Booger Parking”. The sad part? All the stalls were full. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strict-definition-of-booger/408120/16 "2007-06-18T15:24:29Z")
It cannot be a booger unless it is touched by a finger inside your nose. Once your digital exam has concluded that it is of the consistency that permits picking as opposed to blowing, then you have a booger even if you blow it out. However, it loses booger status and becomes snot if it elongates in one direction either when being pulled out or when stuck to the underside of a finger held horizontally. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strict-definition-of-booger/408120/17 "2007-06-18T15:29:45Z")
[QUOTE=BobLibDem] It cannot be a booger unless it is touched by a finger inside your nose. Once your digital exam has concluded that it is of the consistency that permits picking as opposed to blowing, then you have a booger even if you blow it out. However, it loses booger status and becomes snot if it elongates in one direction either when being pulled out or when stuck to the underside of a finger held horizontally. [/QUOTE] Hmm…Are you a patent attorney, by any chance? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strict-definition-of-booger/408120/18 "2007-06-18T15:31:10Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] Hmm…Are you a patent attorney, by any chance? 😃 [/QUOTE] No actually an engineer and I’ve written my share of specifications. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strict-definition-of-booger/408120/19 "2007-06-18T15:36:21Z")
[QUOTE=BobLibDem] No actually an engineer and I’ve written my share of specifications. [/QUOTE] HA! I knew it! You talk like my dad. Scary thing is, I totally agree with your specifications of booger. If it’s stretchy, it’s most definitely not a booger, but snot. A booger must have some sort of structural integrity and discrete boundaries, even if it’s soft. But I’m not sure the digital exam is what creates a booger. It may determine there’s a booger, but doest that mean that the instant before the finger insertion it wasn’t a booger? It’s like Schroedinger’s Booger, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strict-definition-of-booger/408120/20 "2007-06-18T15:44:21Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] But I’m not sure the digital exam is what creates a booger. It may determine there’s a booger, but doest that mean that the instant before the finger insertion it wasn’t a booger? It’s like Schroedinger’s Booger, isn’t it? [/QUOTE] It can be a booger before finger insertion, if you are in a place where you cannot immediately pick your nose, such as at your wedding. However, if you are free to pick your nose, then the time interval between booger formation and finger insertion may be neglected. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strict-definition-of-booger/408120.md?page=2)