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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.

He and Kirsty could still find things to laugh about - Jim thought he could do carpentry, but mostly just "did a great line in sawdust".

From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026

Abandoning Ukrainians over the specks of sawdust in their eyes would be hypocritical and counter to our interests.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 2, 2025

The process begins with Permafungi recovering waste materials such as sawdust that are discarded by traditional industries.

From Barron's • Nov. 13, 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

My mouth is dry as sawdust and tastes like it, too.

From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed

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