PULP

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does pulp mean? 

• PULP (noun)
  The noun PULP has 5 senses:

1. any soft or soggy mass

2. a soft moist part of a fruit

3. a mixture of cellulose fibers

4. an inexpensive magazine printed on poor quality paper

5. the soft inner part of a tooth

  Familiarity information: PULP used as a noun is common.

• PULP (verb)
  The verb PULP has 2 senses:

1. remove the pulp from, as from a fruit

2. reduce to pulp

  Familiarity information: PULP used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PULP (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any soft or soggy mass

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)

Synonyms:

mush; pulp

Context example:

he pounded it to a pulp

Hypernyms ("pulp" is a kind of...):

mass (a body of matter without definite shape)

Derivation:

pulp (reduce to pulp)

pulpy (like a pulp or overripe; not having stiffness)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A soft moist part of a fruit

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Synonyms:

flesh; pulp

Hypernyms ("pulp" is a kind of...):

plant tissue (the tissue of a plant)

Meronyms (substance of "pulp"):

parenchyma (the primary tissue of higher plants composed of thin-walled cells that remain capable of cell division even when mature; constitutes the greater part of leaves, roots, the pulp of fruits, and the pith of stems)

Derivation:

pulp (remove the pulp from, as from a fruit)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A mixture of cellulose fibers

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Hypernyms ("pulp" is a kind of...):

cellulose (a polysaccharide that is the chief constituent of all plant tissues and fibers)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "pulp"):

bagasse (the dry dusty pulp that remains after juice is extracted from sugar cane or similar plants)

wood pulp (wood that has been ground to a pulp; used in making cellulose products (as rayon or paper))

Sense 4

Meaning:

An inexpensive magazine printed on poor quality paper

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

pulp; pulp magazine

Hypernyms ("pulp" is a kind of...):

mag; magazine (a periodic publication containing pictures and stories and articles of interest to those who purchase it or subscribe to it)

Sense 5

Meaning:

The soft inner part of a tooth

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Hypernyms ("pulp" is a kind of...):

vascular structure (a structure composed of or provided with blood vessels)

Holonyms ("pulp" is a part of...):

tooth (hard bonelike structures in the jaws of vertebrates; used for biting and chewing or for attack and defense)

• PULP (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they pulp    ... he / she / it pulps   
Past simple: pulped   
Past participle: pulped   
-ing form: pulping   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Remove the pulp from, as from a fruit

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "pulp" is one way to...):

take out (remove something from a container or an enclosed space)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

pulp (a soft moist part of a fruit)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Reduce to pulp

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

pulp wood

Hypernyms (to "pulp" is one way to...):

bray; comminute; crunch; grind; mash (reduce to small pieces or particles by pounding or abrading)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

pulp (any soft or soggy mass)

 Context examples 

This allele, which encodes C-X-C chemokine receptor type 6 protein, is involved in interactions between dendritic cells and T cells and in regulating T-cell migration in splenic red pulp.

(CXCR6 wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

The application of a barrier substance to either the dentin or the dental pulp of a tooth which protects the tooth from contact with oral contaminants.

(Dental Pulp Capping, NCI Thesaurus)

His head had been smashed to pulp by heavy blows of a sandbag or some such instrument, which had crushed rather than wounded.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Teeth are composed of several parts, including the pulp at the core, dentin in the middle, and enamel on the surface.

(Laser Therapy Prompts Regeneration in Teeth, NIH)

A disorder that affects the dental pulp tissue.

(Dental Pulp Disorder, NCI Thesaurus)

In some way the third finger had been crushed to a pulp.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Dental procedures to treat disease or injury to the tooth pulp, and may include palliative treatment.

(Endodontic Treatment, NCI Thesaurus)

The procedure in which the exposed pulp is covered with a dressing that protects the pulp and promotes healing and repair.

(Direct Pulp Cap, NCI Thesaurus)

The branch of dentistry dealing with diseases of the dental pulp.

(Endodontics, NCI Thesaurus)

The hard portion of the tooth surrounding the pulp, covered by enamel on the crown and cementum on the root.

(Dentin, NCI Thesaurus)