pulp: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Neutral, with specific technical registers in paper/wood industries; informal/pejorative when describing media.
Quick answer
What does “pulp” mean?
A soft, wet mass of material, often made by crushing or mashing something.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A soft, wet mass of material, often made by crushing or mashing something; or the soft inner part of a fruit or vegetable.
1) Low-quality, sensationalist writing or media, especially mass-produced fiction (pulp magazines). 2) The raw material for papermaking, made from wood, rags, or other fibrous substances.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Very minor. 'Pulp fiction' is a universally understood term. Slight preference in the UK for 'pulp' (verb) in cooking contexts (e.g., pulp the fruit).
Connotations
Identical. Both associate 'pulp' with cheap paper, mashed substance, and lowbrow entertainment.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “pulp” in a Sentence
pulp [OBJ] (e.g., pulp the fruit)be pulped into [MATERIAL] (e.g., The logs were pulped into paper)reduce [OBJ] to a pulpVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “pulp” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- Add the orange pulp to the mixture.
- The novel was dismissed as mere pulp.
American English
- The tooth's pulp was infected.
- He worked for a pulp magazine in the 1930s.
verb
British English
- The machine will pulp the old documents for recycling.
- Don't pulp the strawberries when you stir them.
American English
- They pulp the wood using a chemical process.
- The boxer pulped his opponent's face.
adjective
British English
- He had a collection of pulp science-fiction novels.
- The pulp industry is a major employer in the region.
American English
- She loves the aesthetic of pulp novel covers.
- The mill produces pulpboard for packaging.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Referring to the raw material in paper, packaging, or timber industries.
Academic
Used in botany (fruit pulp), dentistry (tooth pulp), and media studies (pulp culture).
Everyday
Describing the soft part of fruit, the consistency of over-cooked food, or badly bruised tissue.
Technical
Specific processes in paper manufacturing (chemical/mechanical pulp).
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “pulp”
- Using 'pulp' as a countable noun for a single piece (*a pulp of orange). Using 'pulp' to describe high-quality paper.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Almost always uncountable as a noun (e.g., 'some pulp', 'a lot of pulp'). You cannot have 'a pulp' or 'two pulps'.
There is no direct connection to fruit. 'Pulp magazines' were named for the cheap, rough paper they were printed on, which was made from wood pulp.
Rarely. In its literal sense (fruit pulp, paper pulp), it is neutral. In its figurative senses (media, describing something crushed), it is usually negative or pejorative.
'Pulp' often contains fibrous strands and is a byproduct of crushing (e.g., orange pulp). 'Puree' is a smooth, homogenised paste made by blending or sieving (e.g., apple puree).
A soft, wet mass of material, often made by crushing or mashing something.
Pulp is usually neutral, with specific technical registers in paper/wood industries; informal/pejorative when describing media. in register.
Pulp: in British English it is pronounced /pʌlp/, and in American English it is pronounced /pəlp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “beat someone to a pulp”
- “reduce something to a pulp”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a PULP magazine getting wet and turning into a soft, PULPy mess.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOFTNESS IS WEAKNESS/LACK OF VALUE (e.g., 'pulp fiction', 'his argument was pulpy').
Practice
Quiz
In which context does 'pulp' NOT typically refer to a soft, wet mass?