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

"Because lignin is produced in huge quantities worldwide, the approach offers a realistic path toward greener industrial hydrogen production technologies."

From Science Daily ● Dec. 11, 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

"Modern plants contain three types of lignin, but most early lignin-containing plants had only two types. The 'newer' lignin is called syringyl-lignin, or S-lignin," explained Liu.

From Science Daily ● May 17, 2024

This new research explored the origin and evolution of the biochemical machinery that builds lignin, a structural component of plant cell walls with significant impacts on the clean energy industry.

From Science Daily ● May 17, 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 Thatcher, Roscoe Wilfred