[cre.o.sote] n [G Kreosot, fr. Gk kreas flesh + soter preserver, fr. sozein to preserve, fr. sos safe (prob. akin to Skt taviti he is strong); fr. its antiseptic properties--more at raw] (1835) 1: a clear or yellowish flammable oily liquid mixture of phenolic compounds obtained by the distillation of wood tar esp. from beech wood
2: a brownish oily liquid consisting chiefly of aromatic hydrocarbons obtained by distillation of coal tar and used esp. as a wood preservative
3: a dark brown or black flammable tar deposited from esp. wood smoke on the walls of a chimney
[2]creosote vt -sot.ed ; -sot.ing (1846): to treat with creosote