castor oil

Definition of castor oil

: a pale viscous fatty oil from castor beans used especially as a cathartic and as a lubricant and plasticizer

Examples of castor oil in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The brand’s signature V decal is constructed from 100 percent castor oil, while the lining on the inside of the shoe is made from organic cotton and recycled plastic bottles. — Wired, "Veja's New Running Shoe Subtracts the Plastic," 19 Sep. 2019 To advance labor, Jessa drank a castor oil smoothie (consult a doctor before doing this) and she was shown climbing up and down stairs to get her contractions to pick up. — Amy Haneline, USA TODAY, "Jessa Duggar had an unexpected home birth on her couch," 21 June 2019 Shirley, via email Dear Heloise: For gas-free beans, soak 1 pound of beans overnight with 1 tablespoon of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of castor oil. — Heloise, Washington Post, "Hints From Heloise: Keeping guacamole green?," 12 June 2019 But unlike rosemary oil and vitamin B5, both of which have studies that back up their aid in hair growth, scientific evidence surrounding castor oil is lacking. — Kaleigh Fasanella, Allure, "Can Castor Oil Help Your Hair Grow? We Asked the Experts," 19 July 2018 While castor oil can become gummy in engines, the violet cress oil has less of a tendency to do this. — John Wenz, Popular Mechanics, "This Purple Plant Has a Secret That Could Replace Synthetic Engine Oil," 27 Aug. 2018 This formula is enhanced with botanicals and castor oil. — Tiffany Dodson, SELF, "7 Mistakes You’re Making When Doing a Twist Out," 13 Sep. 2018 There are microfibers in it that allegedly help build volume, while argan, jojoba, and coconut oil (note: not castor oil) help condition. — Shannon Barbour, The Cut, "CoverGirl’s New Mascaras Condition and Thicken Lashes," 2 May 2018 The oil works similar to castor oil, but more efficiently at high temperatures. — John Wenz, Popular Mechanics, "This Purple Plant Has a Secret That Could Replace Synthetic Engine Oil," 27 Aug. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'castor oil.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

21 Nov 2019

Cite this Entry

“Castor oil.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/castor%20oil. Accessed 16 December 2019.

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More Definitions for castor oil

castor oil

noun