any of a class of nonvolatile, solid or semisolid organic substances, as copal or mastic, that consist of amorphous mixtures of carboxylic acids and are obtained directly from certain plants as exudations or prepared by polymerization of simple molecules: used in medicine and in the making of varnishes and plastics.
Also a substance of this type obtained from certain pines.
any of a group of solid or semisolid amorphous compounds that are obtained directly from certain plants as exudations. They are used in medicine and in varnishes
any of a large number of synthetic, usually organic, materials that have a polymeric structure, esp such a substance in a raw state before it is moulded or treated with plasticizer, stabilizer, filler, etc Compare plastic
Any of numerous clear or translucent, yellowish or brownish substances that ooze from certain trees and plants. Resins are used in products such as varnishes, lacquers, adhesives, plastics, and drugs. Balsam is a resin.
Any of various artificial substances, such as polyurethane, that have similar properties to natural resins and are used to make plastics.
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Old French resine, from Latin rēsīna, probably from a non-Indo-European language; compare Greek rhētī́nē “pine resin,” from a related source
Resin is a sticky substance that oozes out of trees including fir and pine trees. Because resin is insoluble in water, it's useful as a base in different kinds of glue and varnishes. Resin can be found in many materials from varnishes and cement to incense and other therapeutic products. Musicians add resin to the bows of their string instruments to help them get a little more friction. Ballet dancers coat the bottoms of their slippers in resin powder for a similar reason — to keep from slipping on the floor while they dance.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Different materials, including liquid resin and filaments, are suited for different jobs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
In the living room, a blue resin coffee table shaped like a candy wrapper adds to the playful feel, along with vintage candy dishes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
Talley, an artist and retired college biology teacher, has—prior to the Reflecting Pool situation—made dozens of algae-themed suncatchers out of UV resin.
From Slate ● Jun. 27, 2026
The 50-year-old lives outside the forest but calls himself a "jungle man" after years tapping resin from its trees.
From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026
I guessed this much denner resin would be worth at least fifty talents to an apothecary.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
“But, in Indigenous traditions, we perform rituals with what is available in the forest. Resin from trees is used.”
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 17, 2024
"Namie was hit by four disasters - the quake, the tsunami, the reactor accident and then rumours about radiation danger," said Takemitsu Imazu, president of Biomass Resin Fukushima.
From Reuters ● Mar. 9, 2023
Resin, which gets brittle over time, grows increasingly fragile as it ages.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2020
Resin is used by most, if not all, competitors in tug-of-war competitions - apparently it improves your grip.
From BBC ● May 15, 2019
Resin designed to seal a breach against that pressure?
From "The Martian" by Andy Weir
UV light is used for air purification, curing resins in 3D printing, hardening gels in dental fillings, and even applications such as nail treatments.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 26, 2026
While Middle East tensions haven’t yet disrupted supplies of ABF’s building blocks, there is still a risk of shortages of products like raw resins and chemical fillers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
More broadly, diesel fuel and jet fuel, as well as petroleum-based products like plastic resins were up on the month as well.
From Barron's ● Jun. 11, 2026
Many of those operations used petrochemical products and solvents such as resins, adhesives and acrylic compounds like methyl methacrylate, the chemical at the center of the Orange County crisis.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2026
The shelves are lined with apothecary bottles that twinkle like jewels, as well as clear jars and magnificent flasks containing resins, balms, waxes, and oils made from flowers, plant secretions, and extracts.
From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
