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cellophane

American  
[sel-uh-feyn] / ˈsɛl əˌfeɪn /

noun

  1. a transparent, paperlike product of viscose, impervious to moisture, germs, etc., used to wrap and package food, tobacco, etc.

adjective

  1. of, made of, or resembling cellophane.

Cellophane British  
/ ˈsɛləˌfeɪn /

noun

  1. a flexible thin transparent sheeting made from wood pulp and used as a moisture-proof wrapping

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of cellophane

First recorded in 1910–15; formerly trademark

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

One comes in a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag; the other is tucked into one of those sweet little Kraft paper bags with a quaint cellophane window.

From Salon • Dec. 23, 2025

As a corrido played in the background, Panfilo Maldonado and Juan Aleman worked silently, efficiently, opening boxes, spilling bundles over a long table, stripping out the cellophane.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 31, 2024

What began with cellophane in the 1930s picked up speed with the rise of plastic clamshells in the 1980s and bagged salads in the 1990s.

From New York Times • Apr. 2, 2024

Should I mention the supplies — homegrown fruit, butter, canned goods, vegan chocolate chips, cellophane bags — that have been donated, leading me to try many new ingredients?

From Seattle Times • Feb. 27, 2024

The bleachers in this moment were ruled by virgin shoes and wool socks fresh from cellophane.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.