camphor
[ kam-fer ]
/ ˈkæm fər /
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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.
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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-/, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use camphor in a sentence
They have a camphoraceous odor and bitter, aromatic taste, reminding one of that of Aristolochia Serpentaria.
The Medicinal Plants of the Philippines|T. H. Pardo de TaveraBad specimens have a camphoraceous smell and a brownish colour, and lack the pungent taste.
The root is thick, branching and mucilaginous, and has a warm, bitter taste and a camphoraceous odour.
It has a very agreeable aromatic odor, somewhat like camphor, and the taste is described as warm, bitterish and camphoraceous.
Ginseng and Other Medicinal Plants|A. R. (Arthur Robert) Harding
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), adjectiveWord 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
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Medical definitions for camphor
camphor
[ kăm′fər ]
n.
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.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.