Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A balsamic resin obtained from certain tropical Asian trees of the genus Styrax and used in perfumery and medicine.
- noun A white or yellowish crystalline compound, C14H12O2, derived from benzaldehyde.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun [capitalized] A genus of aromatic dicotyledonous trees or shrubs of the family Lauraceæ. See
Lindera . - noun A compound, C6H5CHOHCOC6H5, formed when benzaldehyde is boiled with alcohol containing a little potassium cyanide. It melts at 130° C. and boils at 344° C. Also
diphenylethanolone . - noun Gum benjamin; the concrete resinous juice of Styrax Benzoin, a tree of Sumatra, Java, and the Malay peninsula, obtained by incisions into the bark.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun A resinous substance, dry and brittle, obtained from the
Styrax benzoin , a tree of Sumatra, Java, etc., having a fragrant odor, and slightly aromatic taste. It is used in the preparation of benzoic acid, in medicine, and as a perfume. - noun A white crystalline substance, C14H12O2, obtained from benzoic aldehyde and some other sources.
- noun (Bot.) The spicebush (
Lindera benzoin ). - noun benzoic acid. See under
Benzoic .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun used in some classifications for the American spicebush and certain other plants often included in the genus Lindera
- noun gum resin used especially in treating skin irritation
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Coromandel - "an oriental fragrance using a tree resin called benzoin, which has vanilla-like properties"...
Archive 2007-01-01 Marina Geigert 2007
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There are sweet resins and balsams namely benzoin and labdanum, a subtle, sexy musk, and a most definite note of castoreum paired with civet.
Cuir de Russie Ayala Sender 2006
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There are sweet resins and balsams namely benzoin and labdanum, a subtle, sexy musk, and a most definite note of castoreum paired with civet.
Archive 2006-11-01 Ayala Sender 2006
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To that amber base I would like to add a tad of smoky-resinous notes of Choya Loban the distractive distillation of benzoin, meaning it is left ot burn and scortch a little in the process, to produce a wonderfully smoky burnt caramel scent.
Archive 2007-06-01 Ayala Sender 2007
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To that amber base I would like to add a tad of smoky-resinous notes of Choya Loban the distractive distillation of benzoin, meaning it is left ot burn and scortch a little in the process, to produce a wonderfully smoky burnt caramel scent.
Sticky and Stuck Ayala Sender 2007
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As large vessels can sail up to the town, it is a trade centre for the products of the districts along the banks of the Barito and Martapura, such as benzoin, rattans, wax, gold, diamonds, iron and weapons.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 3, Part 1, Slice 2 "Baconthorpe" to "Bankruptcy" Various
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For his new fragrance, he explodes the notion of a shrinking violet with a lavish list of fancy floral notes like violet leaf, ultra-rare Tuscan orris root and a touch of benzoin and musk. $100, saks.com
Naughty and Nice Sameer Reddy 2011
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Her body rose and fell in waves below her dress like the rolls of a piece of brocade, and her navel would hold an ounce of benzoin ointment.
Firas Al-Atraqchi: Egypt: Group seeks to ban A Thousand and One Arabian Nights 2010
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I want to make an Avacado soap and it calls for benzoin powder ... will citric acid or vitamin e work instead?
Great use of color & stamping Anne-Marie 2007
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I think maybe the soap making book I picked up was a few years old (the complete soapmaker-paperback - norma coney 96) but her book seemed so much more informative than the newer books which put me into overload ... but then again that was the first time I came across the benzoin.
Great use of color & stamping Anne-Marie 2007
chained_bear commented on the word benzoin
"...he felt in his roll for the offerings that Liu Liang ... had told him would be acceptable, a long thick silk-skinned sausage of delicate tea, a long thick leather-skinned sausage of benzoin."
--Patrick O'Brian, The Thirteen Gun Salute, 225
March 5, 2008