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sawdust

American  
[saw-duhst] / ˈsɔˌdʌst /

noun

  1. small particles of wood produced in sawing.


sawdust British  
/ ˈsɔːˌdʌst /

noun

  1. 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

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:

Weyerhaeuser, America’s largest private landowner, launched a venture to turn runty trees and sawdust from its mills into a replacement for metallurgical coal used in steel making.

From The Wall Street Journal Dec. 18, 2025

The decking company built its business on composite boards made from sawdust and recycled plastic shopping bags, which it pitches as more durable than pressure-treated lumber.

From Barron's Nov. 7, 2025

He said: "The finances aren't good, the margins are wafer thin. It's a lot of sawing for not much sawdust, as my grandfather used to say."

From BBC May 27, 2025

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

Immediately she was overwhelmed by the smells of sweet cider vinegar, fresh sawdust, and cinnamon cookies.

From "Stella by Starlight" by Sharon M. Draper

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