lignin
noun/lɪɡnɪn/
Frequency rank: #19,309 most common English word
Meaning
A complex organic polymer found in the cell walls of plants, giving wood its strength and rigidity.
Example sentence
Wood is strong and rigid because it contains lignin, the natural polymer that binds plant fibers together.
Synonyms & related words
Practice this word in the quiz
More words in ranks 19,301–19,400
- codonA sequence of three nucleotides in mRNA that specifies a particular amino acid or stop signal in protein synthesis.
- contusionA bruise; an injury to body tissue without breaking the skin, caused by a blow or impact.
- dictumA formal statement or ruling, especially one made by an authority.
- eclipticthe apparent path traced by the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of a year, also the plane of Earth's orbit.
- feldsparA group of common rock-forming minerals composed mainly of aluminum silicates.
- milligrama unit of mass equal to one thousandth of a gram.
- myceliumThe network of fine, thread-like filaments that forms the main body of a fungus.
- perfunctoryCarried out with minimal effort or care; done as a routine duty.
- quartzitea hard metamorphic rock formed from sandstone that has been recrystallized under heat and pressure.
- repudiateto refuse to accept or be associated with something; to deny the truth or validity of something.