pellet
n.a small, hard ball of material. You often see these made of wood for heating, or as food for small animals like rabbits.
n.a small, compressed mass of a substance, typically spherical or cylindrical in shape. Refers to materials ranging from animal feed and fuel to medicine and industrial raw materials.
“The rabbit eats a small bowl of food pellets every morning.”
“Many homeowners are switching to stoves that burn wood pellets because they are more efficient than traditional logs.”
“The manufacturing process involves compressing raw sawdust under high pressure to form dense pellets that can be easily transported and burned for industrial energy.”
Often used as a collective noun when referring to animal feed or fuel sources.
“Suddenly one of our team is hit by a pellet, which appears to have been fired from the group.”
“The team also suggested that owl pellets may have served as fuel, which could explain why the tiny rodent bones contained within them show signs of burning.”