castor
noun
Also a brownish, unctuous substance with a strong, penetrating odor, secreted by certain glands in the groin of the beaver, used in medicine and perfumery.
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castor
1 American
[kas-ter, kah-ster]
/ ˈkæs tər, ˈkɑ stər /
noun
-
castors
plural
-
Also a brownish, unctuous substance with a strong, penetrating odor, secreted by certain glands in the groin of the beaver, used in medicine and perfumery.
-
a hat made of beaver or rabbit fur.
-
a heavy woolen cloth used mainly for coats.
-
a beaver.
Castor
2
American
[kas-ter, kah-ster]
/ ˈkæs tər, ˈkɑ stər /
noun
Astronomy.
Castor
1
British
/ ˈkɑːstə /
noun
-
the second brightest star, Alpha Geminorum, in the constellation Gemini: a multiple star consisting of six components lying close to the star Pollux. Distance: 52 light years
-
classical myth See Castor and Pollux
castor
2
British
/ ˈkɑːstə /
noun
-
the brownish aromatic secretion of the anal glands of a beaver, used in perfumery and medicine
-
the fur of the beaver
-
a hat made of beaver or similar fur
-
a less common name for beaver 1
castor
3
British
/ ˈkɑːstə /
noun
Castor
Scientific
/ kăs′tər /
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of castor1
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin < Greek kástōr beaver
Origin of Castor2
Named after Castor; see Castor and Pollux
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.
See Examples For:
“Those, over there, are actually castor bean stalks,” Kleckner said as we zoomed past.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 7, 2024
Ricin is a highly toxic poison naturally derived from castor oil plants.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2024
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
Look for products that contain petroleum jelly, castor oil and glycerin, Rogers said.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 5, 2024
“Then when? Five years we’ve been married and no children. You’re always sick, tired, this, that. Have you been taking the castor oil?”
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
Castor cited what she described as reckless attacks on other renewable-energy projects—such as wind power—and the independence of the NRC.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 8, 2026
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor called the incident "devastating" in a statement on X.
From BBC ● Nov. 8, 2025
Finally Castor canadensis, long maligned as a pest, is getting a rebrand as an ecological hero.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 7, 2025
"I’ve said many times that if you want to pick a fight with Mother Nature, she’s winning 100 percent of the time," Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said in a press conference Tuesday.
From Salon ● Oct. 9, 2024
“That star,” he says, pointing, “is Castor, that one Pollux. They’re the heads of the Twins.”
From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson
As for the metallic pepperpot-shaped aliens, created by designer Raymond Cusick, Ms Webb remembers rehearsals with actors "trolleying" around on castors in just the bottom halves of the characters that would become The Doctor's nemesis.
From BBC ● Dec. 21, 2023
It's odd at first; Stewart seems dazed by the noisiness of the production, to be moving as if on castors.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2016
The sculptural giltwood pedestal includes leopard masks above three paw feet that conceal recessed brass castors.
From Architectural Digest ● Jan. 14, 2015
The blocks and castors terminating the legs are modern replacements and, like the French set, they are neither glamorous enough to satisfy buyers looking for trophies nor sought after as furniture to live with.
From New York Times ● Jul. 22, 2011
No castors were on the large table, but they were handed round by the servants.
From The Ladies' Guide to True Politeness and Perfect Manners or, Miss Leslie's Behaviour Book by Eliza Leslie
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