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

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

In this work, the team converted lignin into carbon fibers using electrospinning and thermal treatment.

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

"It was quite surprising to find that a modern electron acceptor like F5H had partnered with an ancient protein to develop new biochemical machinery that synthesizes the advanced lignin structure."

From Science Daily • May 17, 2024

But in wood fiber the cellulose is in part combined with lignin, which is worse than useless.

From Creative Chemistry Descriptive of Recent Achievements in the Chemical Industries by Slosson, Edwin E.