raw material

American  

noun

1. material before being processed or manufactured into a final form.

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raw material British  

noun

1. material on which a particular manufacturing process is carried out

2. a person or thing regarded as suitable for some particular purpose

   raw material for the army

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Etymology

Origin of raw material

First recorded in 1790–1800

Example Sentences

These elements, used to make magnets crucial to the auto, electronics and defence industries, have been defined by the European Union as critical raw materials.

From Barron's

A weaker won usually adds to inflationary pressures as it leads to higher import prices for oil, raw materials and other goods.

From The Wall Street Journal

Expelling unregistered workers "will impact Chile's export economy and make raw materials more expensive," he warns.

From BBC

Airline, trucking and railroad stocks are considered market bellwethers, given their vital roles in moving goods and raw materials that power the economy.

From The Wall Street Journal

Metal Movers: There’s a nationwide push to develop American sources of raw materials that the U.S. desperately needs and which China has long dominated.

From The Wall Street Journal