copaiba

American  

[koh-pay-buh, -pahy-buh] / koʊˈpeɪ bə, -ˈpaɪ bə /

noun

1. an oleoresin obtained from several tropical, chiefly South American trees belonging to the genus Copaifera, of the legume family, used chiefly in varnishes and lacquers, for removing old oil varnish from or for brightening oil paintings, and formerly in medicine in the treatment of certain mucous-membrane conditions.

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copaiba British  

/ kəʊˈpaɪvə, kəʊˈpaɪbə /

noun

1. Also called: copaiba balsam, copaiba resin. a transparent yellowish viscous oleoresin obtained from certain tropical South American trees of the leguminous genus Copaifera: used in varnishes and ointments

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Etymology

Origin of copaiba

1705–15; < Spanish < Portuguese < Tupi cupaiba

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

copaiba

Here grow the jalap and the guaiacum, the sweet-scented sassafras and the sanitary copaiba.

From The Rifle Rangers by Mayne Reid

Dr. Rean also classed it as equal to copaiba in efficiency.

From The Medicinal Plants of the Philippines by Jerome Beers Thomas

The products of the Japurá are sarsaparilla, copaiba, rubber, cacao, farina, Brazil nuts, moira-piránga—a hard, fine-grained wood of a rich, cherry-red color—and carajurú, a brilliant scarlet dye.

From The Andes and the Amazon Across the Continent of South America by James Orton

Considerable sarsaparilla of superior quality, rubber, copaiba, Brazil nuts, and farina come down the Tapajos.

From The Andes and the Amazon Across the Continent of South America by James Orton

Canada balsam may be substituted for balsam of copaiba where the smell of the latter is objectionable, but the ink then dries very quickly.

From Burroughs' Encyclopaedia of Astounding Facts and Useful Information, 1889 by Barkham Burroughs

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