gelatin

noun

gel·​a·​tin ˈje-lə-tən 

variants or less commonly gelatine

1

: glutinous material obtained from animal tissues by boiling

especially : a colloidal protein used as a food, in photography, and in medicine

2

a

: any of various substances (such as agar) resembling gelatin

b

: an edible jelly made with gelatin

3

: gel sense 2

Examples of gelatin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Intact capsules also remained trapped within the gelatin, meaning some medications could still be identified and potentially retrieved. — Sunny Linnebur, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2026

This leaves behind a light and porous, but remarkably strong, scaffolding of gelatin, crushed regolith and yeast proteins. — Kiona N. Smith, Space.com, 17 Sep. 2026

The cream cheese might set, but the gelatin is not going to be set. — Emily Elias, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Sep. 2026

Once Williams got his diagnosis, all meat from mammals, even the fumes of it from a grill or gelatin on a pill, were off limits. — Dylan Lovan, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French gélatine edible jelly, gelatin, from Italian gelatina, from gelato, past participle of gelare to freeze, from Latin — more at cold

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for gelatin

• skeleton
• cytoskeleton
• exoskeleton

Kids Definition

gelatin

noun

gel·​a·​tin

variants also gelatine

ˈjel-ət-ᵊn 

1

: gummy or sticky protein obtained by boiling animal tissues and used as food, in photography, and in medicine

2

: an edible jelly formed with gelatin

3

: a thin colored transparent sheet used to color a stage light

Medical Definition

gelatin

noun

gel·​a·​tin

variants also gelatine

ˈjel-ət-ən 

1

: glutinous material obtained from animal tissues by boiling

especially : a colloidal protein used as a food, in photography, and in medicine

2

a

: any of various substances (as agar) resembling gelatin

b

: an edible jelly made with gelatin