Runny nose OR Running nose (See more…)

The better term is ‘runny nose’ which describes a nose that is producing excess mucus or nasal discharge often due to a cold or allergies. 

However, the misunderstanding between ‘runny nose’ and ‘running nose’ likely stems from the similarity in symptoms and the logic that a nose with discharge might seem like it is ‘running.’

The use of ‘running’ in phrases like running water, running mate, running battle, running commentary, running jump, etc, follows a pattern of using ‘running’ to convey different meanings. While ‘running nose’ might seem like it fits this pattern, the conventional phrase is ‘runny nose.’

The use of ‘runny’ in this context is idiomatic and distinct from the ‘running’ pattern seen in other phrases.