methyl cellulose

noun Chemistry.

a grayish-white powder prepared from cellulose that swells to a highly viscous colloidal solution in water: used as a food additive and in water paints, leather tanning, and cosmetics.

Nearby words

methuselah, methyl, methyl acetate, methyl alcohol, methyl bromide, methyl cellulose, methyl chloride, methyl chloroform, methyl chloroformate, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl formate

Origin of methyl cellulose

First recorded in 1920–25

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Medicine definitions for methylcellulose

methylcellulose

[ mĕth′əl-sĕl′yə-lōs′, -lōz′ ]

n.

A powdery substance that swells in water to form a gel, is prepared by the methylation of natural cellulose, and is used as a food additive, a bulk-forming laxative, an emulsifier, and a thickener.