cullet: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowTechnical / Industrial
Quick answer
What does “cullet” mean?
Broken or waste glass collected for melting down and recycling.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Broken or waste glass collected for melting down and recycling.
Recycled glass that is mixed with raw materials in the manufacture of new glass objects, primarily to reduce energy consumption.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage between British and American English. The term is used identically in the relevant industries.
Connotations
Neutral industrial/technical term.
Frequency
Equally low frequency in both varieties, confined to specialist fields.
Grammar
How to Use “cullet” in a Sentence
[amount/percentage] of culletcullet from [source]mix [material] with culletprocess culletVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cullet” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [Not standard as a verb]
American English
- [Not standard as a verb]
adverb
British English
- [Not used as an adverb]
American English
- [Not used as an adverb]
adjective
British English
- The cullet content in the new batch was 40%.
- A cullet-based manufacturing process.
American English
- The cullet ratio was carefully calibrated.
- Cullet feedstock prices have risen.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in supply chain discussions for glass manufacturing and recycling industries.
Academic
Used in materials science, industrial archaeology, and art history papers discussing glass production techniques.
Everyday
Virtually never used in everyday conversation.
Technical
Core term in glassmaking, specifying a key raw material input that reduces melting temperatures.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cullet”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cullet”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cullet”
- Mispronouncing it as /ˈkjuːlɪt/ (like 'cute').
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'to cullet glass').
- Confusing it with general 'glass recycling' instead of the specific material.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. While cullet is broken or waste glass, the term specifically denotes glass that is intended for recycling back into the glassmaking process. General broken glass from a window is not called cullet unless it is being collected for that purpose.
No, 'cullet' is exclusively a noun. The process is 'recycling glass' or 'using cullet'.
Cullet melts at a lower temperature than the raw materials (sand, soda ash, limestone), significantly reducing the energy required for production and lowering emissions. It also reduces the consumption of virgin raw materials.
It is highly unlikely unless you work in or discuss the glass, recycling, or certain archaeology industries. For most people, it is a passive, specialist vocabulary item.
Broken or waste glass collected for melting down and recycling.
Cullet is usually technical / industrial in register.
Cullet: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkʌlɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkʌlɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms for this technical term]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a CULLET of broken glass being COLLECTed for recycling. The word sounds like 'collect' but starts with 'cul-' like in 'culprit' – the culprit for high energy costs in glassmaking is not using enough cullet!
Conceptual Metaphor
[Not strongly applicable for this concrete, technical noun]
Practice
Quiz
In which industry is the term 'cullet' primarily used?