creosote

¹cre·o·sote

noun \ˈkrē-ə-ˌsōt\

Definition of CREOSOTE

1

: a clear or yellowish flammable oily liquid mixture of phenolic compounds obtained by the distillation of tar derived from wood and especially from beech wood

2

: a brownish oily liquid consisting chiefly of aromatic hydrocarbons obtained by distillation of coal tar and used especially as a wood preservative

3

: a dark brown or black flammable tar deposited from especially wood smoke on the walls of a chimney

4

: creosote bush

Origin of CREOSOTE

German Kreosot, from Greek kreas flesh + sōtēr preserver, from sōzein to preserve, from sōs safe (probably akin to Sanskrit tavīti he is strong); from its antiseptic properties — more at raw

First Known Use: 1835

Rhymes with CREOSOTE

anecdote, antidote, assault boat, asymptote, billy goat, Capriote, cashmere goat, casting vote, Corfiote, dead man's float, entrecôte, ferryboat, flying boat, get one's goat, Huhehot, locomote, matelote, miss the boat, morning coat, motorboat, mountain goat, nanny goat, overcoat, paddleboat, papillote, passing note, pedal-note, petticoat, picketboat, polo coat, powerboat, quarter note, redingote, riverboat, rock the boat, rubythroat, Shabuoth, Sialkot, sixteenth note, sticky note, sugarcoat, symbiote, table d'hôte, undercoat, yellowthroat

²creosote

transitive verb

creosot·edcreosot·ing

Definition of CREOSOTE

: to treat with creosote

First Known Use of CREOSOTE

1836

cre·o·sote

noun \ˈkrē-ə-ˌsōt\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of CREOSOTE

1

: a clear or yellowish flammable oily liquid mixture of phenolic compounds obtained by the distillation of wood tar especially from beech wood and used especially as a disinfectant and as an expectorant in chronic bronchitis

2

: a brownish oily liquid consisting chiefly of aromatic hydrocarbons obtained by distillation of coal tar and used especially as a wood preservative

creosote

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Either of two entirely different substances, distilled from coal tar or wood tar. Coal-tar creosote is a complex mixture of organic compounds, largely hydrocarbons. It is a cheap water-insoluble wood preservative used for railroad ties, telephone poles, and marine pier pilings and as a disinfectant, fungicide, and biocide. Wood-tar creosote consists mainly of phenols and related compounds and was once widely used for pharmaceutical purposes.