wood pulp

noun

: pulp from wood used in making cellulose derivatives (such as paper or rayon)

Examples of wood pulp in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Tencel fibers do come from trees – mainly beech, birch, eucalyptus and spruce – but again, the wood pulp has been manufactured into a fiber. Lexie Sachs, Good Housekeeping, 12 Aug. 2022 While actual rice paper is edible and used in many Asian dishes, rolling papers do not contain rice or its fibers but rather wood pulp. Harrison Bard, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2024 Costs have crept up in recent years because commodities like wood pulp — which is used to make paper products — hit record highs in 2022. Emma Kumer, Washington Post, 9 Feb. 2024 Manufacturers take wood pulp, dissolve it in a chemical solvent, then push it through an extruder to form the fibers. Lexie Sachs, Good Housekeeping, 12 Aug. 2022 It’s typically derived from either cotton fiber or wood pulp. Christina Manian, Rdn, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 July 2023 It can be produced from food waste, agricultural feedstock, other bio-materials like algae or wood pulp, or even from carbon dioxide pulled directly out of the atmosphere. Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 2 Mar. 2023 Fabrics like nylon, acetate, and acrylic also typically shrink around three to four percent, while rayon, derived from wood pulp, can contract by up to 10 percent. Boutayna Chokrane, Vogue, 11 Dec. 2023 For instance, corporations can replace the massive amount of wood pulp currently used to make paper packaging and textiles with cellulose extracted from other non-tree sources such as recycled clothing and paper, waste food and agricultural residues. Time, 21 Mar. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wood pulp.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wood pulp was in 1854

Dictionary Entries Near wood pulp

Cite this Entry

“Wood pulp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wood%20pulp. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

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