guncotton

noun

gun·​cot·​ton ˈgən-ˌkä-tᵊn How to pronounce guncotton (audio)
: nitrocellulose
especially : an explosive highly nitrated product used chiefly in smokeless powder

Examples of guncotton in a Sentence

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
When one of them is struck the glass receptacle is broken and the acids, flowing into a chamber containing chemicals, set up an action that explodes the guncotton. — Popular Mechanics Editors, Popular Mechanics, 8 Apr. 2021 Nitrocellulose, also known as guncotton, is highly flammable. — Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 26 June 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of guncotton was in 1846

Rhymes for guncotton

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Browse Nearby Words

gun control
guncotton
gun crew
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Cite this Entry

“Guncotton.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/guncotton. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Medical Definition

guncotton

noun
gun·​cot·​ton ˈgən-ˌkät-ᵊn How to pronounce guncotton (audio)
: any of various cellulose nitrates
especially : an explosive consisting of a higher-nitrated product (as one containing at least 13.2 percent nitrogen)

More from Merriam-Webster on guncotton

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about guncotton

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