mineral spirits

American  

noun

(usually used with a plural verb)

1. a volatile distillation product of petroleum, used as a thinner for paints and varnishes.

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Etymology

Origin of mineral spirits

First recorded in 1885–90

Compare meaning

How does mineral-spirits compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• mineral oil vs. mineral spirits
• naphtha vs. mineral spirits

Example Sentences

When Gorilla Glue is still wet, it can be removed using acetone, mineral spirits or paint thinner.

From Washington Post • Dec. 27, 2018

This one features white-lacquered shelving, a DirecTV satellite dish and two pedal pumps for the mineral spirits used for gripping.

From New York Times • Aug. 27, 2016

The simplest cleaner in this category is mineral spirits, also known as paint thinner.

From Washington Post • Sep. 8, 2015

To remove the film of silicone that remained on the deck after scraping with a putty knife, solvents were tried, including lacquer thinner, mineral spirits and alcohol.

From Time Magazine Archive

“No. It’s from…” Without completing my thought, I grab the bottle of mineral spirits and start fumbling with the cap.

From "Popcorn" by Rob Harrell