cotton wool

American  

noun

1. cotton in its raw state, as on the boll or gathered but unprocessed.

2. British. absorbent cotton.

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cotton wool British  

noun

1. Usual US term: absorbent cotton. Also called: purified cotton. bleached and sterilized cotton from which the gross impurities, such as the seeds and waxy matter, have been removed: used for surgical dressings, tampons, etc

2. cotton in the natural state

3. informal

   1. a state of pampered comfort and protection

   2. ( as modifier )

      a cotton-wool existence

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Etymology

Origin of cotton wool

First recorded in 1590–1600

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cotton wool

"We need to wrap him in cotton wool and keep him going for 38 games."

From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2025

"I'd love to just wrap her up in cotton wool and keep her close, but we can't do that either because she has a life to live and rightfully should be able to do so."

From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2025

Photographs of the illegal haul shared by the KWS show hundreds of these containers packed with cotton wool, each with two or three ants.

From BBC ● Apr. 14, 2025

The Federal Aviation Administration in 1999 recommended that garments made of cotton, wool, leather, and yes, even denim were preferable over synthetics.

From Slate ● Mar. 14, 2025

Briony prepared the tannic acid in a bowl and took the roll of cotton wool.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan

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