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cellulose

American  
[sel-yuh-lohs] / ˈsɛl yəˌloʊs /

noun

  1. an inert carbohydrate, (C 6 H 10 O5 ) n, the chief constituent of the cell walls of plants and of wood, cotton, hemp, paper, etc.

cellulose British  
/ -ˌləʊs, ˈsɛljʊˌləʊz /

noun

  1. a polysaccharide consisting of long unbranched chains of linked glucose units: the main constituent of plant cell walls and used in making paper, rayon, and film

"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
cellulose Scientific  
/ sĕl′yə-lōs′ /

  1. A carbohydrate that is a polymer composed of glucose units and that is the main component of the cell walls of most plants. It is insoluble in water and is used to make paper, cellophane, textiles, explosives, and other products.

  2. See cellulose acetate

cellulose Cultural  

  1. A stringy, fibrous substance that forms the main material in the cell walls of plants. Cellulose is an organic molecule (see also organic molecules), composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

Other Word Forms

  • cellulosic adjective
  • cellulosity noun
  • semicellulose noun

Etymology

Origin of cellulose

1745–55; < New Latin cellul ( a ) live cell ( cellular ) + -ose 2

Compare meaning

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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.

He then filled in the skeleton’s holes with ethyl cellulose, a tough biodegradable polymer.

From Science Magazine

Electrospinning using a starch-rich ingredient such as white flour is more challenging than using pure starch, as the impurities -- the protein and cellulose -- make the mixture more viscous and unable to form fibres.

From Science Daily

As the mold digests the proteins and starch within the fibrous pulp, it also breaks down the cellulose, turning what remains into a dish beloved by many across western Indonesia.

From Salon

The process involves blending three main components -- carbon nanotubes, polyvinyl alcohol and carboxymethyl cellulose -- followed by freeze-drying.

From Science Daily

Scientists use enzymes called cellulases, derived from fungi or bacteria, to break down plant material and extract the glucose from the cellulose.

From Science Daily

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.