resin

¹ American  

[rez-in] / ˈrɛz ɪn /

noun

1. any of a class of nonvolatile, solid or semisolid organic substances, as copal or mastic, that consist of amorphous mixtures of carboxylic acids and are obtained directly from certain plants as exudations or prepared by polymerization of simple molecules: used in medicine and in the making of varnishes and plastics.

2. Also a substance of this type obtained from certain pines.

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verb (used with object)

1. to treat or rub with resin.

Resin ² American  

[rez-in] / ˈrɛz ɪn /

noun

1. a male given name.

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resin British  

/ ˈrɛzɪn /

noun

1. any of a group of solid or semisolid amorphous compounds that are obtained directly from certain plants as exudations. They are used in medicine and in varnishes

2. any of a large number of synthetic, usually organic, materials that have a polymeric structure, esp such a substance in a raw state before it is moulded or treated with plasticizer, stabilizer, filler, etc Compare plastic

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verb

1. (tr) to treat or coat with resin

resin Scientific  

/ rĕz′ĭn /

1. Any of numerous clear or translucent, yellowish or brownish substances that ooze from certain trees and plants. Resins are used in products such as varnishes, lacquers, adhesives, plastics, and drugs. Balsam is a resin.

2. Any of various artificial substances, such as polyurethane, that have similar properties to natural resins and are used to make plastics.

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Other Word Forms

• resinlike adjective
• resinous adjective
• resinously adverb
• resinousness noun

Etymology

Origin of resin

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Old French resine, from Latin rēsīna, probably from a non-Indo-European language; compare Greek rhētī́nē “pine resin,” from a related source

Explanation

Resin is a sticky substance that oozes out of trees including fir and pine trees. Because resin is insoluble in water, it's useful as a base in different kinds of glue and varnishes. Resin can be found in many materials from varnishes and cement to incense and other therapeutic products. Musicians add resin to the bows of their string instruments to help them get a little more friction. Ballet dancers coat the bottoms of their slippers in resin powder for a similar reason — to keep from slipping on the floor while they dance.

Example Sentences

Avcoat is a mix of silica fibers, phenolic microballoons, and epoxy resin that chars and erodes, removing heat away.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

Packaging manufacturers Amcor and Magnera, which are major purchasers of plastic resin, have seen sharp declines in their share prices over the last month.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

"For example, their eggs are unlike those of any living species, so we invented the resin eggs to approximate real oviraptor eggs as best as we could."

From Science Daily • Mar. 19, 2026

The nurdles -- tiny pieces of plastic resin which are non-toxic but pose a risk to wildlife -- came from the Solong, which was carrying 15 containers of the pellets.

From Barron's • Jan. 12, 2026

The resin melted; he dipped a stick into the goo and worked it into a crack in the plumping-mill box.

From "Frightful's Mountain" by Jean Craighead George

Related Words

• paste
• wax