castor oil

American  

noun

castor oils plural

1. a colorless to pale yellow, viscid liquid, usually obtained from the castor bean by a pressing process: used as a lubricant, in the manufacture of certain soaps and creams, and in medicine chiefly as a cathartic.

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castor oil British  

noun

1. a colourless or yellow glutinous oil obtained from the seeds of the castor-oil plant and used as a fine lubricant and as a cathartic

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• castor oils
  plural

Etymology

Origin of castor oil

1740–50; castor (perhaps variant spelling of caster ) + oil; perhaps so called because of its purgative effect

Example Sentences

The modified Arabidopsis overcame metabolic bottlenecks and produced significant amounts of an oil similar to castor oil that it doesn't naturally produce.

From Science Daily • Apr. 30, 2024

Newer products include a hair strengthening collection with biotin and Jamaican castor oil, and a wig care collection that uses apple cider vinegar to remove build-up from weaves and wigs.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 2, 2023

"It is made from British wool and a polymer of cashew nut and castor oil," said Mr Kershaw.

From BBC • Nov. 9, 2022

Decades ago, to prepare for a colonoscopy, patients first had to clean out their colons using laxatives such as castor oil or magnesium citrate, sometimes over several days.

From Washington Post • Jul. 31, 2022

He had to fight off castor oil and knittin needles and being blasted with hot steam and I don’t know what all you and Macon did.

From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison