tissue

American  

[tish-oo, tis-yoo] / ˈtɪʃ u, ˈtɪs ju /

noun

• tissues
  plural

1. Biology. an aggregate of similar cells and cell products forming a definite kind of structural material with a specific function, in a multicellular organism.

2. tissue paper.

3. any of several kinds of soft gauzy papers used for various purposes.

   cleansing tissue; toilet tissue.

4. an interwoven or interconnected series or mass.

   a tissue of falsehoods.

5. a piece of thin writing paper on which carbon copies are made.

6. a woven fabric, especially one of light or gauzy texture, originally woven with gold or silver.

   a blouse of a delicate tissue.

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verb (used with object)

tissued, tissuing

1. to remove (a cosmetic or cream) with a facial tissue (often followed byoff ).

   Tissue all cosmetics off the face before going to bed.

2. to weave, especially with threads of gold and silver.

tissue British  

/ ˈtɪʃuː, ˈtɪsjuː /

noun

1. a part of an organism consisting of a large number of cells having a similar structure and function

   connective tissue

   nerve tissue

2. a thin piece of soft absorbent paper, usually of two or more layers, used as a disposable handkerchief, towel, etc

3. See tissue paper

4. an interwoven series

   a tissue of lies

5. a woven cloth, esp of a light gauzy nature, originally interwoven with threads of gold or silver

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verb

1. rare to weave into tissue

2. to decorate or clothe with tissue or tissue paper

tissue Scientific  

/ tĭsh′o̅o̅ /

1. A large mass of similar cells that make up a part of an organism and perform a specific function. The internal organs and connective structures (including bone and cartilage) of vertebrates, and cambium, xylem, and phloem in plants are made up of different types of tissue.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• intertissued
  adjective
• tissual
  adjective
• tissuey
  adjective
• untissued
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• tissues
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of tissue

1325–75; Middle English tissew, variant of tissu < Middle French, Old French, noun use of past participle of tistre to weave < Latin texere

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Explanation

Tissue is part of the body of a living thing that is made of similar cells, like the cardiac tissue of your heart. A tissue is also a soft, thin piece of paper used for wiping noses and tear drops. The noun tissue comes from the Old French word tissu, meaning “a ribbon, or belt of woven material.” In fact, as a verb, tissue means "weave fabric strands." Today, we think of tissues as the disposable paper for blowing our noses or packing presents. A different kind of tissue is found in the body — the groups of cells that have the same job, like scar tissue that protects a wound as it heals.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tissue tissues tissued

Both of them started to turn black and swell in the freezing temperatures, signs that the tissue was dying.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

The breakthrough reveals that a chemical signal responsible for attracting immune cells to fight infections also helps prevent those same defenses from damaging healthy tissue.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026

"Inserting oral tablets is unsafe. Cetirizine tablets are made to be swallowed. Their ingredients have not been tested on delicate vaginal tissue," it added.

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

The new technology aims to overcome that limitation by encouraging the formation of new mineral tissue with properties resembling those of the original enamel.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026

In Bobby’s exhumation, a fragment of bone from his left small toe was extracted, in addition to seven tissue samples—enough for a binding test.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

The findings suggest that strengthening the pathway might eventually help healthy tissues tolerate damaging conditions more effectively.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026

The 5-oxoETE pathway helps tissues withstand this chemical stress, reducing the risk that the body's own defenses will cause unnecessary injury.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026

Although these conditions affect different parts of the body, they share an important feature: they interfere with the circulation of blood, which delivers oxygen and nutrients to organs and tissues.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 1, 2026

The findings suggest that sauna bathing may temporarily mobilize immune cells that normally remain in tissues, allowing them to circulate more widely throughout the body.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 28, 2026

It was the sound of people pulling tissues out of their pockets and their purses.

From "Louisiana's Way Home" by Kate DiCamillo

National industry did all in its power to surmount this ignominious condition; she specially turned her attention to the manufacture of silks and of stuffs tissued with gold and silver.

From Manners, Customs, and Dress During the Middle Ages and During the Renaissance Period by P. L. Jacob

“Her Maiestie doth straightly charge and command— “That none under the degree of a Countess wear: Cloth of gold or silver tissued; Silke of coulor purple.

From The Art of Needle-work, from the Earliest Ages, 3rd ed. Including Some Notices of the Ancient Historical Tapestries by Sutherland Menzies

Yea, everything ran with sunshine, as we are full of blood, and plants are tissued from green-gold, glistening sap.

From The Trespasser by D. H. (David Herbert) Lawrence

Winged momentarily on bits of tissued flame, threaded with blood, the bats had flickered a secret to her.

From The Trespasser by D. H. (David Herbert) Lawrence

So saying, he number’d carefully the gold, The vases, tripods bright, and tissued robes, 260 But nothing miss’d of all.

From The Odyssey of Homer by William Cowper

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Related Words

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