ˈkam(p)fə(r), -aam- noun
( -s )
Etymology: alteration (influenced by Medieval Latin & New Latin camphora ) of Middle English caumfre, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin camphora, from Arabic kāfūr, from Malay kāpūr, probably of Austroasiatic origin (whence Sanskrit karpūra camphor); akin to Khmer kāpōr camphor
1. : a tough gumlike crystalline terpenoid ketone C 10 H 16 O existing in three optically different forms all of which have the same qualities of volatility, fragrance, and taste; 2-keto-bornane: (1) the dextrorotatory form obtained especially from the wood and bark of the camphor tree and used chiefly as a carminative and stimulant in medicine, as a plasticizer in cellulose nitrate plastics (as celluloid and photographic films), and as an insect repellant; (2) the levorotatory form found in some essential oils (as that of feverfew); and (3) the inactive form found in the oil of an Asiatic chrysanthemum or made synthetically from certain terpenes and their derivatives (as α-pinene, camphene, isoborneol) and used similarly to dextrorotatory camphor — called also respectively (1) d-camphor, dextro-camphor, Formosa camphor, gum camphor, Japan camphor, laurel camphor (2) l-camphor, levo-camphor, matricaria camphor (3) dl-camphor, racemic camphor, and, when synthetized, synthetic camphor
2. : any of several compounds similar in properties to camphor (as certain terpene alcohols and ketones):
a. : dextrorotatory borneol
b. : levorotatory menthol