cellulose
noun
cel·lu·lose
ˈsel-yə-ˌlōs 
-ˌlōz
: a polysaccharide (C6H10O5)x of glucose units that constitutes the chief part of the cell walls of plants, occurs naturally in such fibrous products as cotton and kapok, and is the raw material of many manufactured goods (such as paper, rayon, and cellophane)
Examples of cellulose in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Like cellulose, it is not easily degraded and decomposes slowly.
—
Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 8 Mar. 2025
When trees inhale carbon, some of it is used to build complex structural molecules like cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin.
—Katarina Zimmer, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
Tea bags found on grocery store shelves are made from a variety of materials, including plant fibers like cellulose, wood, and hemp, flexible plastics like nylon and polypropylene, and biodegradable plastics.
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 27 Feb. 2025
Wood consists of three main components: cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cellulose
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 8 Mar. 2025
When trees inhale carbon, some of it is used to build complex structural molecules like cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin.
—Katarina Zimmer, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
Tea bags found on grocery store shelves are made from a variety of materials, including plant fibers like cellulose, wood, and hemp, flexible plastics like nylon and polypropylene, and biodegradable plastics.
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 27 Feb. 2025
Wood consists of three main components: cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cellulose
Cite this Entry
“Cellulose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cellulose. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cellulose
noun
cel·lu·lose
ˈsel-yə-ˌlōs
: a complex carbohydrate that is the chief part of the cell walls of plants and is commonly obtained as a white stringy substance from vegetable matter (as wood or cotton) which is used in making various products (as rayon and paper)
cellulosic
adjective
ˌsel-yə-ˈlō-sik
Medical Definition
cellulose
noun
cel·lu·lose
ˈsel-yə-ˌlōs, -ˌlōz
: a polysaccharide (C6H10O5)x of glucose units that constitutes the chief part of the cell walls of plants, occurs naturally in such fibrous products as cotton and kapok, and is the raw material of many manufactured goods (as paper, rayon, and cellophane)
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share