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.

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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

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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

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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.

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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

How does cellulose compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• cellulose vs. glycogen
• amylose vs. cellulose
• chitin vs. cellulose

Explanation

Cellulose is the substance that makes up the cell walls of plants. It's cellulose that makes the leaves of your snake plant stand up straight. Cellulose gives plants strength and structure, holding up stems and leaves, and even making tree trunks powerful enough to support towering trees. It's the most common macromolecule on earth, even though it’s not found in the human body. We can’t even digest cellulose, though horses and cows can, thanks to bacteria in their digestive tracts that help break down cellulose found in grass and hay.

Example Sentences

Bamboo contains several types of dietary fiber, including cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin.

From Science Daily • Jan. 16, 2026

The capsule itself is made of gelatin coated with cellulose and either molybdenum or tungsten, which prevents any RF signal from being emitted before the pill is swallowed.

From Science Daily • Jan. 13, 2026

Scientists from Wuhan University have invented a sponge made from squid chitlin and cotton-derived cellulose.

From Salon • Jan. 2, 2025

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

From Science Magazine • Nov. 24, 2024

These, under high magnification, turn out to be bacteria, living in symbiosis with the spirochetes and the protozoan, probably contributing enzymes that break down the cellulose.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

Related Words

• glucose
• lactose
• starch
• sugar