I. ˈtərpən.ˌtīn, ˈtə̄p-, ˈtəip-, -p ə mˌ- noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English terebentyne, terbentyne, turpentyne, from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French terebentine, terbentine, tourbentine, from Medieval Latin terbentina (from Latin terebinthina ) & Latin terebinthina, feminine of terebinthinus of terebinth, from terebinthus terebinth (from Greek terebinthos ) + -inus -ine
1.
a. : a yellow to brown semifluid oleoresin that exudes from the terebinth tree — called also Chian turpentine
b. : any of various oleoresins that are derived from coniferous trees and are obtained in crude form as yellowish viscous exudates of characteristic odor and taste from incisions in the tree trunks and that usually thicken and solidify in the air: as
(1) : canada balsam
(2) : venice turpentine 1
(3) : strasbourg turpentine
(4) : galipot
(5) : russian turpentine
2. or turpentine oil
a. : the colorless or slightly yellowish mobile flammable pungent biting essential oil that is obtained by distillation from turpentine oleoresins especially from longleaf, slash, and other pines, that is a mixture of terpenes with alpha-pinene usually as the principal component, that oxidizes in air to a solid, and that is used chiefly as a solvent and thinner (as in paints and varnishes), as a raw material for synthetic camphor and other chemicals, and in medicine — called also gum spirits, gum turpentine, spirits of turpentine
b. : a similar oil obtained by steam distillation of chipped pine stumpwood and butt logs or of extracts of the chips — called also steam-distilled wood turpentine, wood turpentine ; compare pine oil a
c. : a similar oil obtained by the carbonization of pinewood — called also destructively distilled wood turpentine
d. : a similar oil obtained as a by-product of the sulfate process — called also sulfate turpentine
3.
a. : turpentine tree c
b. : turpentine weed
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
transitive verb
1. : to saturate or rub with turpentine : apply turpentine to
2. : to extract turpentine from (pine trees) by scarifying or wounding the surface to make resin exude
intransitive verb
: to collect or make turpentine