Adjacent Words

Turpentine definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

TUR'PENTINE, a. [L. terebinthina.] A transparent resinous substance, flowing naturally or by incision from several species of trees, as from the pine, larch, fir, etc. Common turpentine is of about the consistence of honey; but there are several varieties.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: obtained from conifers (especially pines) [syn: turpentine, gum terpentine]
2: volatile liquid distilled from turpentine oleoresin; used as paint thinner and solvent and medicinally [syn: turpentine, oil of turpentine, spirit of turpentine, turps]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English terbentyne, turpentyne, from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French terebentine, from Medieval Latin terbentina, from Latin terebinthina, feminine of terebinthinus of terebinth, from terebinthus terebinth, from Greek terebinthos Date: 14th century 1. a. a yellow to brown semifluid oleoresin obtained as an exudate from the terebinth b. an oleoresin obtained from various conifers (as some pines and firs) 2. a. an essential oil obtained from turpentines by distillation and used especially as a solvent and thinner — called also gum turpentine b. a similar oil obtained by distillation or carbonization of pinewood — called also wood turpentine II. transitive verb (-tined; -tining) Date: 1759 1. to apply turpentine to 2. to extract turpentine from; especially to tap (pine trees) in order to obtain turpentine

Britannica Concise

Any resinous exudate or extract from conifers, especially pines. Semifluid mixtures of organic compounds consisting of resins dissolved in a volatile oil, turpentines can be distilled (see distillation) into the volatile oil of turpentine (spirits of turpentine) and the nonvolatile rosin. A mixture of monoterpenes (see isoprenoid), chiefly pinene, turpentine is a colorless, odorous, flammable liquid that does not mix with water but is a good solvent for many substances. Turpentine is favored over petroleum solvents as a paint and varnish solvent and brush cleaner for oil paints. Its chief use is now as a raw material for resins, insecticides, oil additives, synthetic pine oil and camphor, and as a solvent.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. an oleo-resin secreted by several trees esp. of the genus Pinus, Pistacia, Syncarpia, or Copaifera, and used in various commercial preparations. --v.tr. apply turpentine to. Phrases and idioms: Chian turpentine the type of turpentine secreted by the terebinth. oil of turpentine a volatile pungent oil distilled from turpentine, used in mixing paints and varnishes, and in medicine. Etymology: ME f. OF ter(e)bentine f. L ter(e)binthina (resina resin) (as TEREBINTH)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Turpentine Tur"pen*tine, n. [F. t['e]r['e]bentine, OF. also turbentine; cf. Pr. terebentina, terbentina, It. terebentina, trementina; fr. L. terebinthinus of the turpentine tree, from terebinthus the turpentine tree. Gr. ?, ?. See Terebinth.] 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. Note: There are many varieties of turpentine. Chian turpentine is produced in small quantities by the turpentine tree (Pistacia Terebinthus). Venice, Swiss, or larch turpentine, is obtained from Larix Europ[ae]a. It is a clear, colorless balsam, having a tendency to solidify. Canada turpentine, or Canada balsam, is the purest of all the pine turpentines (see under Balsam). The Carpathian and Hungarian varieties are derived from Pinus Cembra and Pinus Mugho. Carolina turpentine, the most abundant kind, comes from the long-leaved pine (Pinus palustris). Strasburg turpentine is from the silver fir (Abies pectinata). Oil of turpentine (Chem.), a colorless oily hydrocarbon, C10H16, of a pleasant aromatic odor, obtained by the distillation of crude turpentine. It is used in making varnishes, in medicine, etc. It is the type of the terpenes and is related to cymene. Called also terebenthene, terpene, etc. Turpentine moth (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of small tortricid moths whose larv[ae] eat the tender shoots of pine and fir trees, causing an exudation of pitch or resin. Turpentine tree (Bot.), the terebinth tree, the original source of turpentine. See Turpentine, above.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Turpentine is a colourless liquid used, for example, for cleaning paint off brushes.

Moby Thesaurus

chromogen, coat, coat of paint, coating, color, color filter, color gelatin, colorant, coloring, dead-color, distemper, drier, dye, dyestuff, exterior paint, flat coat, flat wash, floor enamel, ground, interior paint, medium, opaque color, paint, pigment, prime coat, primer, priming, stain, tempera, thinner, tinction, tincture, transparent color, turps, undercoat, undercoating, vehicle, wash, wash coat