Definition: Turpentine

From New World Encyclopedia

Etymology

From Middle English terebentyne, terbentyne, turbentine, from Old French terbentine, turbentine, ultimately from Ancient Greek τέÏμινθος or términthos (terebinth).

Noun

turpentine (countable and uncountable, plural turpentines)

  1. Any oleoresin secreted by the wood or bark of certain trees.
  2. A volatile essential oil now obtained from such oleoresin from the wood of pine trees by steam distillation; a complex mixture of monoterpenes; now used as a solvent and paint thinner.

Derived terms

  • Canadian turpentine
  • common turpentine
  • crude turpentine
  • Cyprus turpentine
  • French turpentine
  • gum turpentine
  • Hungarian turpentine
  • larch turpentine
  • mineral turpentine
  • Russian turpentine
  • white turpentine

Related terms

Verb

turpentine (third-person singular simple present turpentines, present participle turpentining, simple past and past participle turpentined)

  1. To drain resin from (a tree) for use in making turpentine.

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