lignin

American  

[lig-nin] / ˈlɪg nɪn /

noun

1. Botany. an organic substance that, with cellulose, forms the chief part of woody tissue.

2. Papermaking. impure matter found in wood pulp.

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lignin British  

/ ˈlɪɡnɪn /

noun

1. a complex polymer occurring in certain plant cell walls making the plant rigid

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lignin Scientific  

/ lĭg′nĭn /

1. A complex organic compound that binds to cellulose fibers and hardens and strengthens the cell walls of plants. Lignin is a polymer consisting of various aromatic alcohols, and is the chief noncarbohydrate constituent of wood.

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Etymology

Origin of lignin

First recorded in 1815–25; lign- + -in ²

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lignin

Those species then attack the lignin structure and split it into smaller molecules.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 25, 2026

The findings were published in the journal Science Advances in the paper, "Pseudomonads associated to salt-stressed plants facilitate stress adaption of soybean through enhanced lignin biosynthesis."

From Science Daily ● Jun. 29, 2026

Over time, the balance of protein like, lignin like, and tannin like substances shifted depending on the type of plastic and the level of sunlight exposure.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 31, 2025

He says it improves the ‘tannin and lignin extraction from the tea leaves,’ and I guess his family thought that was important.

From Salon ● Aug. 1, 2024

In the preparation of wood pulp for the manufacture of paper, the lignin materials are dissolved off by means of various chemical reagents, leaving the cellulose fibers in nearly pure form for use as paper.

From The Chemistry of Plant Life by Roscoe Wilfred Thatcher