hemicellulose
noun
hemi·cel·lu·lose
ˌhe-mi-ˈsel-yə-ˌlōs 
-ˌlōz
: 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, 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, 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, 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, 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, 10 Feb. 2018
The lignin, hemicellulose, and other polymers that give the wood structure break down to produce sweet, vanilla notes.
—Wayne Curtis, WIRED, 30 May 2017
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Chris Lee, Ars Technica, 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, 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, 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, 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, 10 Feb. 2018
The lignin, hemicellulose, and other polymers that give the wood structure break down to produce sweet, vanilla notes.
—Wayne Curtis, WIRED, 30 May 2017
Cite this Entry
“Hemicellulose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hemicellulose. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
hemicellulose
noun
hemi·cel·lu·lose
ˌhem-i-ˈsel-yə-ˌlōs, -ˌlōz
: any of various plant polysaccharides less complex than cellulose and easily hydrolyzable to simple sugars and other products
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