carboxymethyl cellulose

8.2

A white powder that dissolves in water to make food and other products thicker and more stable

noun
/kɑrˌbɑk.siˈmɛθ.əl ˈsɛl.jəˌloʊs/

Specialized

: celulosa carboximetilada

Many food products use carboxymethyl cellulose as a thickening agent to improve texture.

Examples

The addition of carboxymethyl cellulose in toothpaste helps maintain a smooth consistency.
Pharmaceutical companies often add carboxymethyl cellulose to tablets to control their dissolution rate.
Wow! Carboxymethyl cellulose really thickens the sauce!
The recipe calls for carboxymethyl cellulose as a thickener.
Many food products use carboxymethyl cellulose as a thickening agent to improve texture.
Pharmaceutical companies often add carboxymethyl cellulose to tablets to control their dissolution rate.
The addition of carboxymethyl cellulose in toothpaste helps maintain a smooth consistency.

Surface Forms

carboxymethyl cellulose singular

carboxymethyl celluloses plural

Morphology

carboxymethyl + cellulose

The term is compositionally built: 'carboxymethyl' is a chemical modifier attached to 'cellulose', so the phrase denotes a cellulose modified with carboxymethyl groups. However, understanding the exact nature of that modification requires domain-specific morphological/chemical knowledge (knowledge of morphemes like 'carboxy-' and 'methyl'), so the meaning is predictable in form but not fully transparent to an average B1 learner.

Etymology

Carboxymethyl cellulose is named for how it is made: cellulose is the plant fiber and small carboxymethyl groups are added to it like tiny 'handles'. These 'handles' help the fiber hold water and become thick, which is why it is used as a 'thickener' and 'stabilizer'.