sawdust

American

[saw-duhst] / ˈsɔˌdʌst /

noun

small particles of wood produced in sawing.

sawdust British

/ ˈsɔːˌdʌst /

noun

particles of wood formed by sawing

"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

Etymology

Origin of sawdust

First recorded in 1520–30; saw ¹ + dust

Vocabulary lists containing sawdust

Spelling Practice 1, Unit 7

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

sawdust

So did demand for wood chips, sawdust and other byproducts that are crucial to the bottom lines of sawyers like the Howards.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

Noise and sawdust filled the room as dozens of students tried their hand at drilling through bricks and wood.

From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026

A farmer in southwestern Hokkaido named Noboru Ohtaka came up with the idea for a so-called “ion bath” after stepping on a sawdust enzyme fertilizer he’d developed and noticing it felt pleasant.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 21, 2025

He fell twice, had to apply eye drops after being bothered by swelling under his right eye and resorted to using sawdust to help him grip his racquet in the humidity.

From BBC ● Mar. 31, 2025

She imagined her grandparents’ lives during the war: working, eating onions and sawdust, bathing, sleeping, working.

From "A Place to Belong" by Cynthia Kadohata

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023