To save this word, you'll need to log in.
Definition of birch-tar oil
: a brown toxic phenolic oil obtained by destructive distillation of the bark and wood of the European white birch and used in finishing Russia leather to which it gives the characteristic odor and sometimes in ointments for skin diseases (such as eczema)
— called also birch oil
Comments on birch-tar oil
What made you want to look up birch-tar oil? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
May 2020 Words of the Day Quiz
- Which is a synonym of exiguous?
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
Share birch-tar oil