tissue
6 synonyms for tissue, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A soft, absorbent piece of paper used for blowing your nose or wiping up small messes.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use tissue
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
tissue paper
scar tissue
a tissue of lies
Etymology
From Old French tissu, "woven," from a Latin verb meaning "to weave."
Full origin of tissue →Frequently asked questions
What does “tissue” mean?
The word “tissue” means a soft, absorbent piece of paper used for blowing your nose or wiping up small messes. In plain terms, either soft paper for wiping, or a biological group of cells, or (figuratively) a web of interconnected things, often lies.
How do you pronounce “tissue”?
“Tissue” is pronounced TIHS-yoo (/ˈtɪʃ.(j)u/ in IPA).
How do you use “tissue” in a sentence?
Here is “tissue” used in a sentence: “She grabbed a tissue to wipe her nose.”
What part of speech is “tissue”?
“Tissue” is a noun.
Where does the word “tissue” come from?
The word “tissue” comes from Latin. From Old French tissu, "woven," from a Latin verb meaning "to weave.".
Is “tissue” a common word?
“Tissue” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “tissue” have?
“Tissue” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a soft, absorbent piece of paper used for blowing your nose or wiping up small messes.
What is the difference between a 'tissue' and toilet paper?
A tissue is a soft, absorbent piece of paper used for blowing your nose or wiping up small messes, and is usually thicker and stronger. Toilet paper is thinner and designed to break down in water, so the two are not interchangeable.
What is the difference between a tissue and a napkin?
A tissue is a soft paper for blowing your nose or wiping small messes, while a napkin is used at the table to wipe the hands or mouth while eating. Napkins are often larger and can be made of cloth as well as paper.
Is a 'tissue' the same as a 'Kleenex'?
Kleenex is a well-known brand name that many people use to mean any paper tissue for blowing the nose. Strictly, 'tissue' is the general term, and Kleenex is one particular make of it.
