# pellet

/ˈpɛɫət/ (US) · /pˈɛlɪt/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pellet
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

a small, hard ball of material. You often see these made of wood for heating, or as food for small animals like rabbits.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- 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.

## Usage notes

- Often used as a collective noun when referring to animal feed or fuel sources.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.