cotton gin

American  

noun

1. a machine for separating the fibers of cotton from the seeds.

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Etymology

Origin of cotton gin

An Americanism dating back to 1790–1800

Example Sentences

Eli Whitney’s cotton gin expanded slavery across the Deep South.

From The Wall Street Journal

With the 1793 invention of the cotton gin—which separated cotton fibers from its seeds with a previously undreamed-of efficiency—America’s plantation economy expanded exponentially and so did its use of slave labor.

From The Wall Street Journal

He is best known for his invention of the cotton gin, a machine that transformed cotton production, with tragic consequences for workers.

From The Wall Street Journal

In high school, many Americans learn of Eli Whitney’s revolutionary cotton gin.

From The Wall Street Journal

This rise in activity in Southern areas was largely due to the invention of the cotton gin, which shifted the focus of production from tobacco to cotton.

From The Wall Street Journal