cotton wool
Americannoun
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cotton in its raw state, as on the boll or gathered but unprocessed.
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British. absorbent cotton.
noun
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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
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cotton in the natural state
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informal
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a state of pampered comfort and protection
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( as modifier )
a cotton-wool existence
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Etymology
Origin of cotton wool
First recorded in 1590–1600
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.
Joe Schmidt looks to have made a serious error by wrapping the rest of his Test players in cotton wool since the Lions landed.
From BBC • Jul. 25, 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
It also advises using damp cotton wool to clean the eyes.
From BBC • Jan. 17, 2024
The silence of the night fell on Meggie's ears, muffled as if by cotton wool.
From "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke
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.
