absorbent cotton


noun
  1. cotton for surgical dressings, cosmetic purposes, etc., made absorbent by removing the natural wax.

Origin of absorbent cotton

1
An Americanism dating back to 1885–90

Words Nearby absorbent cotton

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use absorbent cotton in a sentence

  • Legend has it that when the war ended and Kimberly-Clark company executives were looking for new clients for their products, a group of American nurses said they had been using the super absorbent cotton as sanitary pads.

  • They heard that one country was in special need of stretchers, a second absorbent cotton, a third hospital gauze.

    Ways of War and Peace | Delia Austrian
  • As she spoke Mrs. Harold took a bit of absorbent cotton, soaked it in rose water and bathed the lovely soft, brown eyes.

    Peggy Stewart at School | Gabrielle E. Jackson
  • After the limb had been carefully wrapped in absorbent cotton and placed in a larger box, he felt very comfortable.

  • This is removed by placing in water and wiping gently with absorbent cotton.

British Dictionary definitions for absorbent cotton

absorbent cotton

noun
  1. a US term for cotton wool (def. 1)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012