raw material

noun

: crude or processed material that can be converted by manufacture, processing, or combination into a new and useful product

wheat … is raw material for the flour mill

—C. A. Koepke

broadly : something with a potential for improvement, development, or elaboration

perplexities are often the raw material of discoveries

—Agnes M. Clerke

Synonyms

• making
• material
• stuff
• substance
• timber

Examples of raw material in a Sentence

His experiences during the war were the raw material for the story.

Recent Examples on the Web

Founders Iris Alonzo and Carolina Crespo pioneered two sustainable supply chains that transform existing cotton waste streams into world-first basics, eliminating the use of any virgin raw materials. —Josh Max, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024

For example, sourcing raw materials responsibly may require tracing back to the origin of those materials, ensuring that they were produced without contributing to deforestation or exploitative labor practices. —Matthew Emma, USA TODAY, 28 Nov. 2024

Recent research into biotechnology materials focuses on the use of secondary materials and renewable raw materials in vehicles. —Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2024

Believing the only way to address blind spots is to measure everything, Veja digs deep into its emissions, with a particular focus on scope 3 involving all of the activities carried out by its suppliers and partners, from raw materials to transportation. —Victoria Malloy, TIME, 27 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

raw material

noun

: something from which a useful or desirable product can be manufactured or produced

wheat and rye are the raw materials for a flour mill

collect raw material for writing a story