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tissue

Syllabification: (tis·sue)
Pronunciation: /ˈtiSHo͞o/
Translate tissue | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of tissue

noun

  • 1any of the distinct types of material of which animals or plants are made, consisting of specialized cells and their products:inflammation is a reaction of living tissue to infection or injury (tissues)the organs and tissues of the body
  • 2tissue paper.
  • a disposable piece of absorbent paper, used especially as a handkerchief or for cleaning the skin.
  • rich or fine material of a delicate or gauzy texture: [as modifier]:the blue and silver tissue sari
  • 3 [in singular] an intricate structure or network made from a number of connected items:such scandalous stories are a tissue of lies

Derivatives

tissuey

adjective

Origin:

late Middle English: from Old French tissu 'woven', past participle of tistre, from Latin texere 'to weave'. The word originally denoted a rich material, often interwoven with gold or silver threads, later (mid 16th century) any woven fabric, hence the notion of 'intricacy'

tissue in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of tissue in the British & World English dictionary