Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Jump to:
  • resin
    resin
    noun
    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.
  • Resin
    Resin
    noun
    a male given name.
Synonyms

resin

1 American  
[rez-in] / ˈrɛz ɪn /

noun

  1. 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.

  2. Also a substance of this type obtained from certain pines.


verb (used with object)

  1. to treat or rub with resin.

Resin 2 American  
[rez-in] / ˈrɛz ɪn /

noun

  1. a male given name.


resin British  
/ ˈrɛzɪn /

noun

  1. 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

  2. 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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. (tr) to treat or coat with resin

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
resin Scientific  
/ rĕzĭn /
  1. 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.

  2. Any of various artificial substances, such as polyurethane, that have similar properties to natural resins and are used to make plastics.


Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of resin

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

Explanation

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.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing resin

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“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

Biomass Resin, whose tidy factory sits on land originally set aside for another nuclear plant, is one of the newest.

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

Ule and dock are Both for binding Reh for seeking Kel for finding Gea key Teh lock Pesin water Resin rock Before I could go any further, sixth bell struck.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss