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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lignin

The researchers went beyond simplified model compounds and tested the catalyst on real lignin collected from several biomass sources.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 25, 2026

The researchers also determined, at the molecular level, how the catalyst breaks the strong chemical bonds that help hold lignin together.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 25, 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

The lignin material generally consists of two types of substances, one of which contains a closed-ring nucleus of unknown composition and the other is probably a pentosan.

From The Chemistry of Plant Life by Roscoe Wilfred Thatcher

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