turpentine
UK /ˈtɜː.pənˌtaɪn/ · US /ˈtɝ.pənˌtaɪn/ noun, verb
Forms turpentines turpentining turpentined
- noun Any oleoresin secreted by the wood or bark of certain trees.
- noun A volatile essential oil now obtained from such oleoresin of from the wood of pine trees by steam distillation; a complex mixture of monoterpenes; now used as a solvent and paint thinner.
- noun (Australia) A turpentine tree (genus Syncarpia).
- verb (transitive) To drain resin from (a tree) for use in making turpentine.
Synonyms
spirit of turpentine spirits of turpentine oil of turpentine terebenthene terebinthine turps tarpin gum terpentine
Etymology
From Middle English terebentyne, terbentyne, turbentine, from Old French terbentine, turbentine, Latin terebinthina, from Ancient Greek τερεβινθίνη (terebinthínē), the feminine form of τερεβινθινος (terebinthinos, “terebinthine”, adjective), from τερέβινθος (terébinthos, “terebinth tree”, noun). Related to terpene and terpin; etymologically equivalent to terebinth + -ine.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A semifluid or fluid oleoresin, primarily the exudation of the terebinth, or turpentine, tree (Pistacia Terebinthus), a native of the Mediterranean region. It is also obtained from many coniferous trees, especially species of pine, larch, and fir.
Etymology [F. térébentine, OF. also turbentine; cf. Pr. terebentina, terbentina, It. terebentina, trementina; fr. L. terebinthinus of the turpentine tree, from terebinthus the turpentine tree. Gr. Terebinth.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “turpentine”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details