raw material

noun

: crude or processed material that can be converted by manufacture, processing, or combination into a new and useful product

Wheat … is raw material for the flour mill …

—C. A. Koepke

broadly : something with a potential for improvement, development, or elaboration

… perplexities are often the raw material of discoveries.

—Agnes M. Clerke

Synonyms of raw material

• potential
• material

Examples of raw material in a Sentence

His experiences during the war were the raw material for the story.

Recent Examples on the Web

The final product is a Southwestern desert vibe with a luxe, Palm Springs twist; effortlessly blending sepia photos, raw materials, colorful decor, and contemporary comforts. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Feb. 2026

Manufacturers might, for example, sue for a share of any refunds given to suppliers that jacked up the price of raw materials to cover the tariffs. —ABC News, 21 Feb. 2026

However, the reversal could help automakers from being hit with hundreds of millions of dollars in machinery and raw material tariffs. —Leah Olajide, Freep.com, 21 Feb. 2026

The facility operates 85 ovens and uses coal and raw materials to produce metallurgical coke, a component for making steel. —Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for raw material

• arterial
• bacterial
• ethereal
• funereal
• imperial
• sidereal
• venereal
• antibacterial
• biomaterial
• mycobacterial
• cereal
• virial

Kids Definition

raw material

noun

: something from which a useful or desirable product can be manufactured or produced

wheat and rye are the raw materials for a flour mill

collect raw material for writing a story