bagasse
|ba-gasse|
/bəˈɡæs/
sugarcane fibrous residue
Etymology
'bagasse' originates from French, specifically the word 'bagasse', which itself is related to Provençal 'bagassa' and Spanish 'bagazo' meaning 'dregs' or 'residue'.
'bagasse' entered English in the 19th century from French 'bagasse' (and parallels Spanish 'bagazo'); the term originally referred generally to residues and became specialized in English to mean the fibrous residue of sugarcane.
Initially, it meant 'dregs' or general 'residue', but over time it evolved into the current narrower meaning of the fibrous residue of sugarcane (and similar plant residues) used as fuel or raw material.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the dry, fibrous residue left after crushing sugarcane to extract the juice; often used as a fuel or as a raw material for paper, board, or building products.
The mill burned the bagasse to generate steam for its boilers.
Synonyms
Noun 2
in a broader sense, any coarse fibrous residue left after extracting juice or oil from plant material, used for fuel, fiber, or industrial purposes.
Researchers are developing building panels made from bagasse and other agricultural residues.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/30 21:04