turpentine

noun tur·pen·tine \ ˈtər-pən-ˌtīn , ˈtər-pᵊm- \

|Updated on: 13 Jul 2018

Definition of turpentine

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

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Recent Examples of turpentine from the Web

On May 30, 1921, thousands of white Tulsans instigated a race riot, brutally attacking the town’s African-American community—machine guns and even airplanes dropping turpentine conspired to destroy Greenwood.

— patrick sisson, Curbed, "10 Streets that Changed America," 5 July 2018
Her sculptures, videos, photographs, and installations evoke pine forests, alligators, and the turpentine industry.

— BostonGlobe.com, "The Ticket: What’s happening in the local arts world," 20 Apr. 2018
Contessa's neighbor had been using turpentine to clean paint off a table, the man explains.

— leila atassi, cleveland.com, "Misfortune befalls the Korpers, 2 weeks after moving into their new home: A Greater Cleveland," 14 Mar. 2018
Other products made at the Mackie factory -- which was taken over by Delta Pine Products around the 1940s -- included turpentine, axle grease, paint and pine tar.

— mike scott, NOLA.com, "Once upon a time in Covington: The story of the 'heart pine house'," 5 Mar. 2018
In one notorious treatment, turpentine was injected into a patient’s abdominal wall in the hope of encouraging a fever high enough to burn away her hallucinations.

— parul sehgal, New York Times, "Medicine Can Soothe a Troubled Mind, but Not Without Costs," 27 Feb. 2018
The museum includes numerous replicas of buildings of the type used by early settlers, including a copper turpentine still, corn crib, 19th century church, log cabins and more.

— AL.com, "Take a road trip to south Alabama's picturesque covered bridges," 6 Feb. 2018
The sticks were daubed with smells like (to English-speaking sensibilities) leather, orange, fish, garlic and turpentine.

— The Economist, "Perception and languageHow people name sensations depends on those sensations’ salience," 18 Jan. 2018
All woodwork, desks, chairs, tables and doors should be wiped off with a cloth wet with linseed, kerosene and turpentine.

— craig hlavaty, Houston Chronicle, "How did the worldwide influenza epidemic 100 years ago impact Houston?," 15 Jan. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of turpentine

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year