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.
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
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
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin < Greek kástōr beaver
Named after Castor; see Castor and Pollux
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The invasive species they brought — like black mustard, tree tobacco and castor bean — slowly crept into the ecosystem.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 14, 2024
Ricin is a highly toxic poison naturally derived from castor oil plants.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2024
Around 90% of oil is valuable for industrial uses in crops like castor beans, Bates said.
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
She was all decked out in that silly-looking Red Cross uniform and was carrying a tray with a large bottle of castor oil and an empty water glass sitting on it.
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
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
He showed up as promised, and delivered his panegyric—but in the course of it, he included a decorative digression, as might have been quite normal practice, in praise of the twin demigods Castor and Pollux.
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
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
Honours ended up even, though the smooth-striding Everett glided round as if on castors, while the solidly carved sprint specialist noticeably sagged in his final strides.
From The Guardian ● May 29, 2020
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
Tables on castors, and castors on tables, All I have turn'd to alike in their turn; Mesmeric stories are nothing but fables, Stories indeed, which intelligence spurns.
From Punch - Volume 25 (Jul-Dec 1853) by Various
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.
