tissue

noun

tis·​sue ˈti-(ˌ)shü 

 chiefly British  ˈtis-(ˌ)yü

1

: a piece of soft absorbent tissue paper used especially as a handkerchief or for removing cosmetics

2

: an aggregate of cells usually of a particular kind together with their intercellular substance that form one of the structural materials of a plant or an animal

3

a

: a fine lightweight often sheer fabric

b

: mesh, network, web

a tissue of lies

tissuey

ˈti-shə-wē 

adjective

Examples of tissue in a Sentence

She wiped her nose with a tissue.

a sample of brain tissue

The drug can damage the body's tissues.

a box wrapped in tissue

Recent Examples on the Web

This method showed a 50% reduction in tissue inflammation, and shrunk the wound down to a tenth of its size in just two weeks. —New Atlas, 27 Mar. 2025

Cedar-apple and cedar-hawthorn rusts create galls — abnormal tissue swellings — on the twigs of infected junipers, whereas cedar-quince does not. —Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 27 Mar. 2025

These snakes possess venom potent enough to rapidly immobilize prey and cause severe tissue destruction in humans. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025

At their morning highs, P&G was ahead 1.1%, Colgate tacked on 1.2%, tissue manufacturer Kimberly-Clark added 0.8%, Coke rose 1.3% and Altria gained 1.2%. —Pia Singh,brian Evans, CNBC, 26 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English tysshewe, tyssew, a rich fabric, from Anglo-French tissue, from past participle of tistre to weave, from Latin texere — more at technical

First Known Use

1563, in the meaning defined at sense 3a

Phrases Containing tissue

• adipose tissue
• bathroom tissue
• connective tissue
• granulation tissue
• permanent tissue
• scar tissue
• tissue culture
• tissue fluid
• tissue of lies
• tissue paper
• tissue plasminogen activator
• vascular tissue
• woven a tissue of lies

Rhymes for tissue

• blew
• blue
• boo
• brew
• chew
• chou
• clue
• coo
• coup
• crew
• cue
• dew

Kids Definition

tissue

noun

tis·​sue ˈtish-ü 

1

: a fine lightweight fabric

2

: a piece of soft absorbent paper

3

: a mass or layer of cells usually of one kind together with the uniting or enclosing substance around and between them that form the basic structural materials of a plant or an animal compare connective tissue

Medical Definition

tissue

noun

tis·​sue

ˈtish-(ˌ)ü, ˈtish-ə(-w), chiefly British ˈtis-(ˌ)yü

: an aggregate of cells usually of a particular kind together with their intercellular substance that form one of the structural materials of a plant or an animal and that in animals include connective tissue, epithelium, muscle tissue, and nerve tissue