Gauze
/ɡɔːz/
nounB1
Definition
Gauze is a very thin fabric made with many small holes, so it is light and see-through. It is often used in hospitals to cover cuts or injuries to protect them and help healing. Sometimes, gauze is also used in clothes to make them soft and light.
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See It in Action
Thin, open-weave fabric used for medical purposes
- •The nurse wrapped the wound with sterile gauze.
- •Gauze helps keep the injury clean and dry.
- •You can buy gauze pads at the pharmacy for first aid.
Light, transparent fabric used in clothing or decoration
- •The bride’s dress had a layer of soft gauze.
- •Curtains made of gauze let sunlight gently enter the room.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "gauze" like "cloth," but much thinner and with many tiny holes, like a net or mesh
- ✓Picture a soft, white, thin fabric that you can almost see through, often wrapped around a finger or hand after a cut
- ✓It's the gentle feeling when a nurse covers a small wound carefully to keep it clean
- ✓Sounds like "gaws" → imagine "gauze" as a soft "cause" of healing, protecting your skin gently
- ✓Think of a hospital scene where a doctor uses white cloth strips to cover a cut — that is gauze
- ✓NOT like "bandage" (which can be thick and strong), gauze is light and breathable, letting air pass through
- ✓NOT like "cotton" (solid and soft), gauze has holes and is more open and airy
- ✓NOT like "cloth" used for clothes only — gauze is special for medical and delicate uses
Try Other Words
- •Bandage: a material used to cover wounds (Use when focusing on the protective function rather than fabric type)
- •Mesh: a net-like material with many holes (Use when emphasizing the open structure, but mesh is usually stronger and less soft)
- •Muslin: a light cotton fabric (Use when talking about clothing or decoration, less open than gauze)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no prefix or suffix; "gauze" is a root word)
- •Etymology: From French "gaze," meaning a thin, transparent fabric
- •Historical development: The word came into English in the 1600s, originally for a fine silk fabric; later used for medical cloth
- •Modern usage: Mainly used for medical dressings and lightweight fabrics in clothing and decoration
Reflect & Connect
•How does the open, light nature of gauze help wounds heal better than thicker cloth?
•Can you think of other everyday uses for gauze outside of medicine and clothing?
Fill in the blanks
1.The nurse covered the cut with gauze to ___ the wound and keep it clean.
2.Gauze is different from regular cloth because it has many small ___ that let air pass through.
3.When a wound is bleeding, you should place gauze ___ on it before applying pressure.
4.Gauze is often used in hospitals because it is ___ and allows the skin to breathe.
5.The bride’s dress was made with layers of gauze, making it look ___ and soft.
6.Unlike thick bandages, gauze is ___ and light, so it doesn’t feel heavy on the skin.
7.When you see gauze wrapped around a finger, you can infer that the person has a ___ or injury.