camphor
Americannoun
-
a whitish, translucent, crystalline, pleasant-odored terpene ketone, C 10 H 16 O, obtained from the camphor tree, used chiefly in the manufacture of celluloid and in medicine as a counter-irritant for infections and in the treatment of pain and itching.
-
any substance having medicinal or aromatic characteristics similar to those of camphor.
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of camphor
1275–1325; < Medieval Latin, New Latin camphora ≪ Arabic kāfūr < Malay kapur chalk, lime, camphor; replacing Middle English caumfre < Anglo-French < Medieval Latin
Vocabulary lists containing camphor
2015 Spelling Bee - Words from Round 2
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine," Vocabulary from the short story
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
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.
As a rookie reporter, I often witnessed the frenzied brotherhood at first day, first-show screenings: coins tossed at the screen, camphor burnt, flowers showered, cut-outs doused in milk, fans screaming his name.
From BBC • Aug. 14, 2025
This herb smells like anise — notes of lemon, pine, sage, black pepper and camphor abound.
From Salon • Jan. 31, 2024
All parts of the plant, not just the blooms, are infused with volatile oils, a redolent floral aroma tempered with camphor.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 23, 2022
So time had a scent, of warm, sweet sandalwood, cooling camphor, cypress with its evergreen kiss — and under it all, a char on the air, a memory of something set on fire.
From New York Times • Sep. 10, 2021
Maybe they tied camphor on her pulse to cure her.
From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston
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.
