carboxymethylcellulose

[ kahr-bok-see-meth-uhl-sel-yuh-lohs ]

noun

1. a white, water-soluble polymer derived from cellulose, used as a coating and sizing for paper and textiles, a stabilizer for various foods, and an appetite suppressor.

Word History and Origins

Origin of carboxymethylcellulose¹

First recorded in 1945–50; carb- + oxy- ² + methyl + cellulose