'mucogenic' originates from modern scientific formation combining Latin 'mucus' (meaning 'mucus') and the Greek-derived suffix '-genic' (from Greek 'gen-' / 'genein' meaning 'to produce' or 'beget').

'mucus' comes from Latin 'mucus' used in Medieval Latin for bodily mucus; the combining form 'muco-' was adopted in New/Modern Latin and English medical terminology and was combined with the suffix '-genic' (via Greek 'genic, genikos') to form the adjective 'mucogenic' in modern medical English.

Initially the components referred specifically to 'mucus' and 'producing'; combined as a technical formation, the term has meant 'producing mucus' since its adoption and has retained that specialized medical sense.