absorbent cotton
- noun
:
algodón absorbente
- The nurse used absorbent cotton to clean the wound after the operation.
Examples
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Make sure to buy some absorbent cotton for the first aid kit.
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He purchased a roll of absorbent cotton from the pharmacy for first aid at home.
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Make sure to use only absorbent cotton to soak up the excess liquid.
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The nurse cleaned the wound with absorbent cotton before applying a bandage.
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The doctor used absorbent cotton to clean the wound.
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For her first aid kit, she included rolls of absorbent cotton for bandaging.
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To help prevent infections, we always apply absorbent cotton when dressing a cut.
Synonyms
1
1.4
Soft, fluffy fibers used for cleaning, medical care, or cosmetic use
1
3.0
A material that soaks up liquids or gases quickly
How Absorbent
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'cotton that absorbs liquids' is directly and transparently derived from the adjective 'absorbent' (having the capacity to absorb) modifying 'cotton' (the natural fibre). This straightforward adjective+noun composition follows normal compositional rules and is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily understand the MWE.
Etymology
Absorbent cotton comes from the simple picture of soft cotton that is cleaned and treated so it becomes absorbent and can 'soak up' blood or water. So the name means 'cotton that soaks up liquids' and is used for 'medical' care like cleaning wounds.