turpentine
noun
tur·pen·tine
| \ ˈtər-pən-ˌtīn
, ˈtər-pᵊm-\
, ˈtər-pᵊm-\
Definition of turpentine
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: 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)
2a
: 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
turpentine
verb
turpentined;
turpentining
Definition of turpentine (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: to apply turpentine to
2
: to extract turpentine from
especially
: to tap (pine trees) in order to obtain turpentine
Examples of turpentine in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Investigators believe discarded rags soaked in turpentine may have spontaneously combusted Thursday, causing a house fire in Waconia. — Deanna Weniger, Twin Cities, "Police say discarded rags soaked in turpentine likely caused house fire in Waconia; family dog still missing," 5 July 2019 Jocasta is the owner of a vast plantation called River Run in North Carolina, made wealthy by the sale of tobacco, lumber, and turpentine and based on the work of slaves. — Outlander Fan, Marie Claire, "5 Biggest Takeaways From 'Outlander' Season 4's Second Episode," 12 Nov. 2018 The British navy gobbled up the colonies’ longleaf for its rot-resistant wood and gummy sap, from which turpentine and pitch were made. — Ryan Dezember, WSJ, "Thousands of Southerners Planted Trees for Retirement. It Didn’t Work.," 9 Oct. 2018 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 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. 2018These 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.
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More Definitions for turpentine
turpentine
noun
English Language Learners Definition of turpentine
: a type of oil with a strong smell that is used to make paint thinner and to clean paint brushes
See the full definition for turpentine in the English Language Learners Dictionary
turpentine
noun
tur·pen·tine
| \ ˈtər-pən-ˌtīn
\
\
Kids Definition of turpentine
: an oil made from resin and used as a solvent and as a paint thinner
turpentine
noun
tur·pen·tine
| \ ˈtər-pən-ˌtīn, ˈtərp-ᵊm-
\
\
Medical Definition of turpentine
1a
: a yellow to brown semifluid oleoresin obtained as an exudate from the terebinth (Pistacia terebinthus) of the sumac family
b
: an oleoresin obtained from various conifers (as some pines and firs)
2a
: an essential oil obtained from turpentines by distillation and used especially as a solvent and thinner
— called also oil of turpentine
b
: a similar oil obtained by distillation or carbonization of pinewood
— called also wood turpentine
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