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 millC. A. Koepke
broadly : something with a potential for improvement, development, or elaboration
perplexities are often the raw material of discoveries Agnes M. Clerke

Examples of raw material in a Sentence

His experiences during the war were the raw material for the story.
Recent Examples on the Web With the rising cost of raw materials, labor and energy, organizations must develop innovative ways to operate efficiently while delivering maximum value to customers. Dr. Adil Dalal, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024 Robbin’s richest vein of raw material, however, is her own backstory. Belinda Luscombe / Boston, TIME, 23 Oct. 2024 My father would give me blotters scented with dry, raw materials. Felix Bischof, theweek, 17 Oct. 2024 Securing raw materials such as lithium from the U.S. is crucial to GM’s plans to profitably grow its all-electric vehicle business and meet tightening federal requirements for incentives to produce and sell the vehicles and the large batteries needed to power them. Michael Wayland, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for raw material 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'raw material.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of raw material was in 1612

Dictionary Entries Near raw material

Cite this Entry

“Raw material.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/raw%20material. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on raw material

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