hemicellulose

noun

hemi·​cel·​lu·​lose ˌhe-mi-ˈsel-yə-ˌlōs How to pronounce hemicellulose (audio)
-ˌlōz
: any of various plant polysaccharides less complex than cellulose and easily hydrolyzable to monosaccharides and other products

Examples of hemicellulose in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Trees have two types of cellulose, called cellulose and hemicellulose, neither of which can be broken down by the same enzyme. Chris Lee, Ars Technica, 5 Apr. 2018 Some lignin decomposes at around 900 degrees Celsius (~1,650 Fahrenheit), about 600 degrees higher than cellulose and hemicellulose; other lignin decomposes at temperatures below where cellulose comes apart. Chris Lee, Ars Technica, 5 Apr. 2018 Heat can travel up and down the fibers with ease, but can't easily cross them, particularly because of the air gaps left after all the woody filler (lignin and hemicellulose) was removed. Amina Khan, latimes.com, 10 Mar. 2018 But for this project, Hu and his colleagues removed all of the lignin and most of the hemicellulose. Amina Khan, latimes.com, 10 Mar. 2018 These two chemicals work together to partially remove lignin and hemicellulose, two polymers that make the cell walls of plants rigid. Marissa Fessenden, Smithsonian, 10 Feb. 2018 The lignin, hemicellulose, and other polymers that give the wood structure break down to produce sweet, vanilla notes. Wayne Curtis, WIRED, 30 May 2017

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hemicellulose was in 1891

Dictionary Entries Near hemicellulose

Cite this Entry

“Hemicellulose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hemicellulose. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

hemicellulose

noun
hemi·​cel·​lu·​lose ˌhem-i-ˈsel-yə-ˌlōs, -ˌlōz How to pronounce hemicellulose (audio)
: any of various plant polysaccharides less complex than cellulose and easily hydrolyzable to simple sugars and other products
hemicellulosic adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on hemicellulose

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!