castoreum
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of castoreum
< Latin < Greek kastórion, equivalent to kastor- (stem of kástōr ) beaver + -ion, neuter of -ios adj. suffix
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.
Beavers were hunted to extinction in Britain 400 years ago for their meat, furry water-resistant pelts and a substance they secrete called castoreum - used in food, medicine and perfume.
From BBC • Jun. 27, 2025
For over 2,000 years, people have turned to castoreum to cure all sorts of maladies, including fevers, stomach issues, and mental illnesses.
From National Geographic • Nov. 15, 2023
When she wants to trap and relocate a family of beavers, she can extract one animal’s castoreum and put it in a humane trap to attract its relatives.
From National Geographic • Nov. 15, 2023
If castoreum were ever to appear in something you ate, Francl says not to worry.
From National Geographic • Nov. 15, 2023
A Page 181 small twig, the size of your little finger, should then be stripped of its bark, and after chewing or mashing one end, it should be dipped in the castoreum.
From Camp Life in the Woods and the Tricks of Trapping and Trap Making by Gibson, William Hamilton
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.
