cellulose

[ sel-yuh-lohs ]

noun

1. an inert carbohydrate, (C 6 H 10 O 5 ) n, the chief constituent of the cell walls of plants and of wood, cotton, hemp, paper, etc.

cellulose

/ -ˌləʊs; ˈsɛljʊˌləʊz /

noun

1. a polysaccharide consisting of long unbranched chains of linked glucose units: the main constituent of plant cell walls and used in making paper, rayon, and film

cellulose

/ sĕl′yə-lōs′ /

1. A carbohydrate that is a polymer composed of glucose units and that is the main component of the cell walls of most plants. It is insoluble in water and is used to make paper, cellophane, textiles, explosives, and other products.
2. See cellulose acetate

cellulose

1. A stringy, fibrous substance that forms the main material in the cell walls of plants. Cellulose is an organic molecule (see also organic molecules ), composed of carbon , hydrogen , and oxygen .

Derived Forms

• ˌcelluˈlosic, adjectivenoun

Other Words From

• cel·lu·los·i·ty [sel-y, uh, -, los, -i-tee], noun
• semi·cellu·lose noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of cellulose¹

1745–55; < New Latin cellul ( a ) live cell ( cellular ) + -ose ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of cellulose¹

C18: from French cellule cell (see cellule ) + -ose ²

Example Sentences

Preshredded cheese may contain cellulose to keep the cheese from sticking together.

From Washington Post

If you absorb it into the cells of your body, it will interact with the molecules of floppy cellulose you already have, and this will create a very firm structure that will allow your cells to become like bricks.

From Nautilus

That is a reflection of the profile of the investors who dominate local markets, which are used to allocating assets to companies in sectors like oil, paper and cellulose, mining or utilities.

From TechCrunch

Then the researchers mixed these and the cellulose with water.

From Science News For Students

The peat cellulose oxygen-18 values recorded in winter 2018 were the highest, and the sea ice extent the smallest, in the last 5,500 years, the team found.

From Science News

Just add methyl cellulose, a thickener that can withstand high temperatures.

From The Daily Beast

In brief, film is a cellulose base coated with silver bromide and gelatine.

From Project Gutenberg

If we were using a plate the only difference would be that instead of cellulose as a base we would have a sheet of glass.

From Project Gutenberg

Or the sticks of cellulose, or the curved, wire device with fuzz at the ends?

From Project Gutenberg

The presence of a large amount of cellulose in the food enables us often to satisfy the appetite without injury from overeating.

From Project Gutenberg

Therefore, in order to add the much-needed bulk to the diet, foods that do contain cellulose should be served with eggs.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• glucose
• lactose
• starch
• sugar