a tough, highly flammable substance consisting essentially of cellulose nitrate and camphor, used in the manufacture of motion-picture and x-ray film and other products.
1871, trademark name (reg. U.S.), coined by U.S. inventor John Wesley Hyatt (1837-1900) from L. cellula dim. of cella (see cell) + -oid, from Gk. -o-eides "a form, shape" (comb. form). Abbreviated form cell "sheet of celluloid" is from 1933.