CAMPHOR

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does camphor mean? 

• CAMPHOR (noun)
  The noun CAMPHOR has 1 sense:

1. a resin obtained from the camphor tree; used in making celluloid and liniment

  Familiarity information: CAMPHOR used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CAMPHOR (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A resin obtained from the camphor tree; used in making celluloid and liniment

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Hypernyms ("camphor" is a kind of...):

natural resin (a plant exudate)

Holonyms ("camphor" is a substance of...):

camphor ball; mothball (a small sphere of camphor or naphthalene used to keep moths away from stored clothing)

celluloid (highly flammable substance made from cellulose nitrate and camphor; used in e.g. motion-picture and X-ray film; its use has decreased with the development of nonflammable thermoplastics)

Derivation:

camphoraceous (being or having the properties of camphor)

camphorate (treat with camphor)

camphoric (relating to or derived from or containing camphor)

 Context examples 

Camphor oil has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties and is used for its aromatic properties, as an insect repellant, in embalming fluids, and in various topical skin preparations.

(Camphor Oil, NCI Thesaurus)

Camphor is used in topical anti-infective and anti-pruritic (anti-itching) agents.

(Camphor, NCI Dictionary)

An odour of camphor and burnt vinegar warned me when I came near the fever room: and I passed its door quickly, fearful lest the nurse who sat up all night should hear me.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Half an hour after, Jo went to 'Mother's closet' for something, and there found little Beth sitting on the medicine chest, looking very grave, with red eyes and a camphor bottle in her hand.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

After some search, it was found in the box, at the bottom of a horse's nose-bag; wherein (besides hay) there was discovered an old gold watch, with chain and seals, which Mr. Barkis had worn on his wedding-day, and which had never been seen before or since; a silver tobacco-stopper, in the form of a leg; an imitation lemon, full of minute cups and saucers, which I have some idea Mr. Barkis must have purchased to present to me when I was a child, and afterwards found himself unable to part with; eighty-seven guineas and a half, in guineas and half-guineas; two hundred and ten pounds, in perfectly clean Bank notes; certain receipts for Bank of England stock; an old horseshoe, a bad shilling, a piece of camphor, and an oyster-shell.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

A substance that comes from the wood and bark of the camphor tree or is made in the laboratory.

(Camphor, NCI Dictionary)