Cellulose
/ˈsɛl.jʊˌloʊs/noun
A complex carbohydrate that is the main structural component of plant cell walls.
Did you know?Cellulose was coined in French in the 19th century from Latin cellula, and its name reflects the microscopic “little rooms” that early botanists saw as the basic units of plant structure.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
cella
“A small room, chamber, or storehouse.”
Late Latin
Latin
cellula
“A little cell or small chamber.”
1830s
French
cellulose
“A substance derived from plant cells; the fibrous material of plants.”
1830s
English
cellulose
“The main structural substance of plant tissue.”
Modern English
English
cellulose
“The chief structural polysaccharide in plant cell walls.”