a soft, white, downy substance that grows around the seeds of a tropical and subtropical plant, the plant that produces cotton, grown mainly in the southern United States and parts of Africa and Asia, cloth made from cotton fibers

cotton on, cotton to, high cotton

Formal and Informal Expressions of cotton

In different contexts, you can replace 'cotton' with suitable alternatives. In a more formal setting, 'textile, fabric' is apt. In informal speech or writing, 'cloth, material' is a commonplace synonym.

cotton: Explore its Definition & Usage

cotton Definition

1a soft, white, downy substance that grows around the seeds of a tropical and subtropical plant
2the plant that produces cotton, grown mainly in the southern United States and parts of Africa and Asia
3cloth made from cotton fibers

Using cotton: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "cotton" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

Example
The shirt is made of cotton.
Example
The cotton crop was damaged by the storm.
Example
The cotton industry is a major source of income for many countries.
Example
She prefers to wear clothes made of cotton.

cotton Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for cotton

Phrases with cotton

cotton on
begin to understand or realize something
Example
It took me a while to cotton on to what he was saying.
cotton to
become fond of or interested in something or someone
Example
At first, she didn't like him, but eventually, she cottoned to him.
high cotton
a state of prosperity or wealth
Example
After winning the lottery, they were in high cotton.

Origins of cotton

from Middle English 'coton', from Old French 'coton', from Arabic 'quṭn'

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Summary: cotton in Brief

Cotton [ˈkɑtn] refers to a soft, white, downy substance that grows around the seeds of a tropical and subtropical plant. It is also the name of the plant that produces cotton, grown mainly in the southern United States and parts of Africa and Asia. Cotton is used to make cloth, which is a popular material for clothing. Phrases like 'cotton on' and 'cotton to' describe understanding and fondness, respectively.