cellulose

cel·lu·lose | \ ˈsel-yə-ˌlōs

, -ˌlōz \

Definition of cellulose

: a polysaccharide (C₆H₁₀O₅)_x of glucose units that constitutes the chief part of the cell walls of plants, occurs naturally in such fibrous products as cotton and kapok, and is the raw material of many manufactured goods (such as paper, rayon, and cellophane)

Examples of cellulose in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Plants use photosynthesis to convert water and CO2 from the atmosphere into sugars, starch and cellulose, all of which can be processed to make plastics. — Wade Roush, Scientific American, "Wait, Plastic Can Be Good for the Environment?," 19 Dec. 2019 Microbes gobble up the nutrients, leaving behind cellulose, a form of fiber. — Sarah Lazarus, CNN, "Could Asia's passion for tofu help solve the plastic crisis?," 2 Dec. 2019 It's made of cellulose, extracted from the waste generated by soybean product manufacturers. — Sarah Lazarus, CNN, "Could Asia's passion for tofu help solve the plastic crisis?," 2 Dec. 2019 The researchers write that the study is the first retrospective medical diagnosis to include the genetic analysis of a historical figure, and also the oldest successful retrieval of genetic material from cellulose paper. — Erin Blakemore, National Geographic, "What can 200-year-old DNA tell us about a murdered French revolutionary?," 20 Nov. 2019 The pollution problem is that fermentation of cellulose in rumens emits prodigious quantities of methane gas. — Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, "Real World Economics: Making the best of a stinky situation," 17 Nov. 2019 The Hong Kong Research Institute for Textiles and Apparel, in partnership with H&M, has created its own process to separate cotton and polyester, yielding polyester fibers and a cellulose powder that can similarly be used for new material. — Marc Bain, Quartzy, "There’s never been a better time—or more need—to buy your clothes used," 16 Aug. 2019 Enter Bioglitter, created with cellulose from eucalyptus trees. — National Geographic, "See our four favorite innovations this month," 9 Dec. 2019 Chen has also developed a method to transform the cellulose-rich husks of the durian -- a notoriously smelly tropical fruit -- into plastic wrap. — Sarah Lazarus, CNN, "Could Asia's passion for tofu help solve the plastic crisis?," 2 Dec. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cellulose.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near cellulose

cellulose acetate butyrate

cellulose acetate propionate

Statistics for cellulose

Last Updated

19 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Cellulose.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cellulose. Accessed 20 January 2020.

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More Definitions for cellulose

cellulose

noun