elemi

American  

[el-uh-mee] / ˈɛl ə mi /

noun

plural

elemis

1. any of various fragrant resins from certain trees, especially Canarium commune, used chiefly in the manufacture of varnishes, lacquers, ointments, and in perfumery.

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elemi British  

/ ˈɛlɪmɪ /

noun

1. any of various fragrant resins obtained from tropical trees, esp trees of the family Burseraceae: used in making varnishes, ointments, inks, etc

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Etymology

Origin of elemi

1535–45; short for gum elemi < New Latin gummi elimī; compare Arabic allāmī the elemi

Example Sentences

Many of the resins had antimicrobial properties — one bowl containing elemi and animal fat was inscribed “to make his odour pleasant” — or characteristics that promoted preservation.

From Scientific American • Feb. 9, 2023

They also used resin from elemi, a tree that grows in rainforests in Africa and Asia.

From Washington Post • Feb. 1, 2023

The researchers also identified more exotic ingredients, including dammar and elemi, resins extracted from hardwoods native to Southeast Asian rainforests thousands of kilometers from ancient Egypt.

From Science Magazine • Feb. 1, 2023

Some of the substances came from very far away — like dammar and elemi, types of resin that come from the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 1, 2023

I lit, without saying a word, a cotton wick, plastered over with elemi gum, that I always carried with me in my travels, and I began exploring.

From Adventures in the Philippine Islands by La Gironière, Paul P. de