camphor

[ kam-fer ]

/ ˈkæm fər /

Save This Word!

noun Chemistry, Pharmacology.

a whitish, translucent, crystalline, pleasant-odored terpene ketone, C10H16O, 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.

QUIZ

SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?

Should you take this quiz on “shall” versus “should”? It should prove to be a quick challenge!

Question 1 of 6

Which form is used to state an obligation or duty someone has?

shall

should

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

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

OTHER WORDS FROM camphor

cam·phor·a·ceous

[kam-fuh-rey-shuhs], /ˌkæm fəˈreɪ ʃəs/, adjectivecam·phor·ic

[kam-fawr-ik, -for-], /kæmˈfɔr ɪk, -ˈfɒr-/, adjective

Words nearby camphor

camp follower, campground, camphene, camphire, camphol, camphor, camphorate, camphorated oil, camphor ball, camphor ice, camphor laurel

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use camphor in a sentence

Imperial Kitchen, a restaurant in Hong Kong, makes my favorite version: smoked Peking duck with camphor wood spices.
Fresh Picks|Susur Lee|December 8, 2009|DAILY BEAST
Furs should be kept in a box, alone, and in summer carefully packed, with a quantity of lump camphor to protect from moths.
The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness|Florence Hartley
In this case, never leave home without a straw-covered bottle of brandy, and another of camphor, in your carpet-bag.
The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness|Florence Hartley
The window-curtains were presumably packed in camphor, and the dim panes suggested a cobwebbed and desolate interior.
Ancestors|Gertrude Atherton

The camphor tree grows very well here, but I do not know if the gum has ever been collected.
Journal of a Voyage to Brazil|Maria Graham
The camphor tree overhead was thrown out darkly against the stars, like its own shadow.
The Dragon Painter|Mary McNeil Fenollosa

British Dictionary definitions for camphor

camphor

/ (ˈkæmfə) /

noun

a whitish crystalline aromatic terpene ketone obtained from the wood of the camphor tree or made from pinene: used in the manufacture of celluloid and in medicine as a liniment and treatment for colds. Formula: C 10 H 16 O

Derived forms of camphor

camphoric (kæmˈfɒrɪk), adjective

Word Origin for camphor

C15: from Old French camphre, from Medieval Latin camphora, from Arabic kāfūr, from Malay kāpūr chalk; related to Khmer kāpōr camphor

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

Medical definitions for camphor

camphor

[ kăm′fər ]

An aromatic crystalline compound obtained from the wood or leaves of the camphor tree or synthesized and used as an insect repellent and in external preparations to relieve mild pain and itching.

Scientific definitions for camphor

camphor

[ kăm′fər ]

A white, gumlike, crystalline compound that has a strong odor. Camphor is volatile and is used as an insect repellent and in making plastics and explosives. Chemical formula: C10H16O.