vegetable wax

American  

noun

1. a wax, or a substance resembling wax, obtained from various plants, as the wax palm.

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vegetable wax British  

noun

1. any of various waxes that occur on parts of certain plants, esp the trunks of certain palms, and prevent loss of water from the plant

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Etymology

Origin of vegetable wax

First recorded in 1805–15

Example Sentences

It is a tall slender palm, and is the source of the vegetable wax so largely used in some parts of the country in the manufacture of matches, a single stem sometimes yielding 16-20 ℔.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 6 "Cockaigne" to "Columbus, Christopher" by Various

The principal products of this class are india-rubber, mat�, Brazil nuts, vegetable wax, palm fibre, cabinet woods, and medicinal leaves, roots, resins, &c.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 4 "Bradford, William" to "Brequigny, Louis" by Various

Among other herbs were the Peruvian and cinchona-bark quinine, rhubarb, vegetable wax, and many others unknown to science.

From Final Report of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission by Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission

The first, which is the cinnamon oil, is more properly a kind of vegetable wax, being of the consistence of stearine.

From Eight Years' Wanderings in Ceylon by Baker, Samuel White, Sir

Friction matches are made from the vegetable wax extracted from the Ceroxylon palm, and are generally used throughout the interior.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 6 "Cockaigne" to "Columbus, Christopher" by Various