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raw

[ raw ]
/ rɔ /
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See synonyms for: raw / rawest / raws / rawness on Thesaurus.com

adjective, raw·er, raw·est.
noun
a sore or irritated place, as on the flesh.
unrefined sugar, oil, etc.
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Idioms about raw

    in the raw,
    1. in the natural, uncultivated, or unrefined state: nature in the raw.
    2. Informal. in the nude; naked: sunbathing in the raw.

Origin of raw

before 1000; Middle English; Old English hrēaw, hrǣw; cognate with Dutch rauw,German roh; akin to Latin crūdus raw (see crude), cruor blood, Greek kréas raw flesh

synonym study for raw

2. Raw, crude, rude refer to something not in a finished or highly refined state. Raw applies particularly to material not yet changed by a process, by manufacture, or by preparation for consumption: raw cotton; raw leather. Crude refers to that which still needs refining: crude petroleum. Rude refers to what is still in a condition of rough simplicity or in a makeshift or roughly made form: rude agricultural implements; the rude bridge that arched the flood.

OTHER WORDS FROM raw

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT RAW

What does raw mean?

Raw describes something that hasn’t been cooked, as in The butcher put a pile of raw meat on the table.

Raw can also describe something that hasn’t been processed or refined, as in Raw cotton must be cleaned of plant parts before it can be made into thread or fabric. 

Raw also refers to skin that was painfully removed, as in The uncomfortable pants rubbed my knees raw. 

As well, raw can refer to someone who lacks experience or training, as in The rookie detective was too raw to be of any help to the veteran investigator. 

Raw is rarely used as a noun. It is sometimes used in the idiom in the raw, meaning a natural, unprocessed state or, more informally, referring to something done while naked.

Example: The diners became very ill after eating chicken that was more raw that cooked.

Where does raw come from?

The first records of raw come before 1000. It comes from the Old English hrēaw. It is related to the Greek kréas, meaning “raw flesh.”

Many foods are fine to eat without cooking them. Fruits and vegetables can often be eaten raw, that is, straight off a tree or from the ground. Meat, on the other hand, can be dangerous when eaten raw, because it often contains bacteria such as salmonella or E. coli, which can cause serious food poisoning. While, it’s possible to eat fresh meat raw if certain precautions are taken, it’s highly recommended to properly cook meat to kill any harmful bacteria.

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What are some other forms related to raw?

  • rawish (adjective)
  • rawishness (noun)
  • rawly (adverb)
  • rawness (noun)

What are some synonyms for raw?

What are some words that share a root or word element with raw

What are some words that often get used in discussing raw?

How is raw used in real life?

Raw is a very common word, usually used to describe uncooked food.

Try using raw!

Is raw used correctly in the following sentence?

The chef thoroughly grilled the beef until it was raw.

How to use raw in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for raw

raw
/ (rɔː) /

adjective
noun
the raw British informal a sensitive pointhis criticism touched me on the raw
in the raw
  1. informal without clothes; naked
  2. in a natural or unmodified statelife in the raw

Derived forms of raw

rawish, adjectiverawly, adverbrawness, noun

Word Origin for raw

Old English hreaw; related to Old High German hrao, Old Norse hrār raw, Latin cruor thick blood, Greek kreas meat
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with raw

raw

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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