raw material
Americannoun
noun
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material on which a particular manufacturing process is carried out
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a person or thing regarded as suitable for some particular purpose
raw material for the army
Etymology
Origin of raw material
First recorded in 1790–1800
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.
And in Germany, steel giant Thyssenkrupp warned that record-low levels on the Rhine were threatening raw material deliveries, echoing industry warnings that the waterway could soon become unnavigable.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
As with locations and production design, Ellis’ novel provided much of the raw material the costume department needed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
The material is difficult to shape, expensive to produce, and often requires more raw material than ultimately ends up in the finished component.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026
“We also implemented pricing actions to offset raw material inflation that pressured our gross margin in the quarter.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
Finally, the hereditary changes called mutations provide the raw material for evolution.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
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.
