pistacia terebinthus

4 definitions found

pistacia terebinthus - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Pistacia \Pis*ta"ci*a\, n. [NL. See Pistachio.] (Bot.)
     The name of a genus of trees, including the tree which bears
     the pistachio (Pistacia vera), the Mediterranean mastic
     tree (Pistacia Lentiscus), and the species (Pistacia Terebinthus
     ) which yields Chian or Cyprus turpentine.
     [1913 Webster]

  Turpentine \Tur"pen*tine\ (t[^u]r"p[e^]n*t[imac]n), n. [F.
     t['e]r['e]benthine, OF. also turbentine; cf. Pr. terebentina,
     terbentina, It. terebentina, trementina; fr. L. terebinthinus
     of the turpentine tree, from terebinthus the turpentine tree.
     Gr. tere`binqos, te`rminqos. See Terebinth.]
     A semifluid or fluid oleoresin, primarily the exudation of
     the terebinth, or turpentine, tree (Pistacia Terebinthus),
     a native of the Mediterranean region. It is also obtained
     from many coniferous trees, especially species of pine,
     larch, and fir.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: There are many varieties of turpentine. Chian
           turpentine is produced in small quantities by the
           turpentine tree (Pistacia Terebinthus). Venice,
           Swiss, or larch turpentine, is obtained from Larix Europaea
           . It is a clear, colorless balsam, having a
           tendency to solidify. Canada turpentine, or Canada
           balsam, is the purest of all the pine turpentines (see
           under Balsam). The Carpathian and Hungarian varieties
           are derived from Pinus Cembra and Pinus Mugho.
           Carolina turpentine, the most abundant kind, comes from
           the long-leaved pine (Pinus palustris). Strasburg
           turpentine is from the silver fir (Abies pectinata).
           [1913 Webster]
  
     Oil of turpentine (Chem.), a colorless oily hydrocarbon,
        C10H16, of a pleasant aromatic odor, obtained by the
        distillation of crude turpentine. It is used in making
        varnishes, in medicine, etc. It is the type of the
        terpenes and is related to cymene. Called also
        terebenthene, terpene, etc.
  
     Turpentine moth (Zool.), any one of several species of
        small tortricid moths whose larvae eat the tender shoots
        of pine and fir trees, causing an exudation of pitch or
        resin.
  
     Turpentine tree (Bot.), the terebinth tree, the original
        source of turpentine. See Turpentine, above.
        [1913 Webster]

  Chian \Chi"an\a. [L. chius, fr. Chios the island Chios, Gr. ?.]
     Of or pertaining to Chios, an island in the [AE]gean Sea.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Chian earth, a dense, compact kind of earth, from Chios,
        used anciently as an astringent and a cosmetic.
  
     Chian turpentine, a fragrant, almost transparent
        turpentine, obtained from the Pistacia Terebinthus.
        [1913 Webster]

pistacia terebinthus - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  Pistacia terebinthus
      n 1: a Mediterranean tree yielding Chian turpentine [syn:
           terebinth, Pistacia terebinthus]