castor oil

noun

: 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 planes were rickety contraptions with no brakes that belched castor oil and had to be dragged to a stop with a tail skid after landing. —Victor Luckerson, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 May 2025

But lymphatic massage therapist Sabrina Sweet, the founder of Miss Lymph, also suggests bringing along travel-sized bottle of castor oil with you on vacation. —Jessica Ourisman, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025

As described on platforms like TikTok, navel oiling (also known as navel pulling) involves placing a few drops of castor oil (an odorless, yellowish vegetable oil with anti-inflammatory properties) in the belly button or massaging castor oil on the abdomen. —Justin Laube, EverydayHealth.com, 28 Apr. 2025

Try out castor oil at night on your lashes to boost length and thickness with continual use. —Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 2 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

probably from its former use as a substitute for castoreum in medicine

First Known Use

1746, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for castor oil

• aerofoil
• cinquefoil
• hydrofoil
• quatrefoil
• airfoil
• benzoyl
• despoil
• embroil
• etoile
• gargoyle
• recoil
• subsoil

Kids Definition

castor oil

noun

: a pale thick oil obtained from castor beans and used chiefly as a lubricant or a laxative

Medical Definition

castor oil

noun

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