hemicellulose

noun

hemi·cel·lu·lose | \ˌhe-mi-ˈsel-yə-ˌlōs,

-ˌlōz\

Definition of hemicellulose

: any of various plant polysaccharides less complex than cellulose and easily hydrolyzable to monosaccharides and other products

Examples of hemicellulose in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Trees have two types of cellulose, called cellulose and hemicellulose, neither of which can be broken down by the same enzyme. — Chris Lee, Ars Technica, "Lumber’s lure: Thanks to physics, viable biofuel may grow in the woods," 5 Apr. 2018 Some lignin decomposes at around 900 degrees Celsius (~1,650 Fahrenheit), about 600 degrees higher than cellulose and hemicellulose; other lignin decomposes at temperatures below where cellulose comes apart. — Chris Lee, Ars Technica, "Lumber’s lure: Thanks to physics, viable biofuel may grow in the woods," 5 Apr. 2018 Heat can travel up and down the fibers with ease, but can't easily cross them, particularly because of the air gaps left after all the woody filler (lignin and hemicellulose) was removed. — Amina Khan, latimes.com, "This is 'nanowood,' a new invention that could greatly reduce humanity's carbon footprint," 10 Mar. 2018 But for this project, Hu and his colleagues removed all of the lignin and most of the hemicellulose. — Amina Khan, latimes.com, "This is 'nanowood,' a new invention that could greatly reduce humanity's carbon footprint," 10 Mar. 2018 These two chemicals work together to partially remove lignin and hemicellulose, two polymers that make the cell walls of plants rigid. — Marissa Fessenden, Smithsonian, "New Super Wood Beats Metals in Feats of Strength," 10 Feb. 2018 The lignin, hemicellulose, and other polymers that give the wood structure break down to produce sweet, vanilla notes. — Wayne Curtis, WIRED, "One Man’s Quest to Make 20-Year-Old Rum in Just Six Days," 30 May 2017

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