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.
Also a substance of this type obtained from certain pines.
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
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
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.
Any of various artificial substances, such as polyurethane, that have similar properties to natural resins and are used to make plastics.
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
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.
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As resin prices rise, Clorox is increasing the cost of its signature Glad trash bags.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
The pines would also enrich landowners and the Bordeaux bourgeoisie: The hardscrabble culture of sheep grazing gave way to a booming industry of wood, paper and resin.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026
The interior of the D&P Green pine resin distillery, one of many businesses the relied on the forest.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026
The felt surrounds the 3D-printed restoration and gives gases released by the resin a way to escape.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 23, 2026
I started with a bead the size of the last digit of my little finger, my guess as to how much resin Denna had actually swallowed.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
“But, in Indigenous traditions, we perform rituals with what is available in the forest. Resin from trees is used.”
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 17, 2024
Biomass Resin employs 10 people in Namie, including a 20-year-old who returned, and hopes to expand.
From Reuters ● Mar. 9, 2023
Resin art is growing in popularity, particularly online.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2022
Resin, which gets brittle over time, grows increasingly fragile as it ages.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2020
Resin designed to seal a breach against that pressure?
From "The Martian" by Andy Weir
Lactones are essential starting materials for biodegradable plastics and polyurethanes, while epoxides are used to manufacture adhesives, protective coatings, and epoxy resins found in electronic materials.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026
These include PFAS—or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances—to repel water and stains, formaldehyde-releasing resins to resist wrinkles, biocides to control odor, silicone softeners and dyes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
It says that while pines contain flammable resins, species such as alder, rowan, aspen and birch are higher in moisture content which means they do not burn as easily.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
More broadly, diesel fuel and jet fuel, as well as petroleum-based products like plastic resins were up on the month as well.
From Barron's ● Jun. 11, 2026
Ancient Greeks discovered the uses of various mixtures of petroleum, pitch, resins, sulfur, and quicklime as incendiary weapons, delivered by catapults, arrows, firebombs, and ships.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
