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

But Trump’s latest tariffs pose a possible threat to any company that relies on the raw materials, like steel, that are critical to fossil fuel extraction and transport. —Kyle Khan-Mullins, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025

Digital passports turn expertise into value for consumers by offering clear details on raw material origins, manufacturing processes and the environmental impact of each product. —Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 3 Apr. 2025

The less information about you that's publicly available, the fewer raw materials scammers have to work with. —Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, FOXNews.com, 29 Mar. 2025

Cutting-edge materials (mainly Demetra, an innovated crafted from at least 70% vegetable raw materials from renewable sources), push the boundaries of sneaker production within the luxury space. —Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 28 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for raw material

• arterial
• bacterial
• ethereal
• funereal
• imperial
• sidereal
• venereal
• antibacterial
• biomaterial
• mycobacterial
• cereal
• virial

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