hemicellulose

American  

[hem-i-sel-yuh-lohs] / ˌhɛm ɪˈsɛl jəˌloʊs /

noun

1. any of a group of gummy polysaccharides, intermediate in complexity between sugar and cellulose, that hydrolyze to monosaccharides more readily than cellulose.

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hemicellulose British  

/ ˌhɛmɪˈsɛljʊˌləʊz /

noun

1. any of a group of plant polysaccharides that occur chiefly in the cell wall

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Etymology

Origin of hemicellulose

First recorded in 1890–95; hemi- + cellulose

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hemicellulose

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

From Science Daily ● Jan. 16, 2026

The team then used a hot press, an industrial vise for making wood composites, to compress the remaining cellulose and hemicellulose components together.

From Science Magazine ● May 23, 2019

Wood consists of three main components: cellulose and hemicellulose, which form long strawlike structures, and lignin, which acts as a glue holding the straw strands together.

From Science Magazine ● May 23, 2019

The researchers also discovered that one-third of a wood component known as hemicellulose had decomposed in Stradivari and Guarneri’s instruments.

From New York Times ● Dec. 20, 2016

The original seed tissues, therefore, contain an amyloid and a hemicellulose, the latter differentiated in its resistance to water.

From Researches on Cellulose 1895-1900 by Cross, C. F.