Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A waxy waterproof substance present in the cell walls of certain plant tissues, especially cork.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The cellular tissue of cork after the various soluble matters have been removed. It is allied to cellulose. See cork, 2.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Bot.) A material found in the cell walls of cork. It is a modification of lignin.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A waxy material found in the cell walls of cork and similar plants

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[French subérine : Latin sūber, cork + French -ine, adj. suff.; see –ine.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

suber +‎ -in. From the French subérine.

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Examples

  • One of cork's distinguishing features is its high concentration of a waxy, highly water-repellent substance called suberin, which makes it perfect as a stopper for liquids such as wine.

    unknown title 2009

  • One of cork's distinguishing features is its high concentration of a waxy, highly water-repellent substance called suberin, which makes it perfect as a stopper for liquids such as wine.

    unknown title 2009

  • One of cork's distinguishing features is its high concentration of a waxy, highly water-repellent substance called suberin, which makes it perfect as a stopper for liquids such as wine.

    unknown title 2009

  • One of cork's distinguishing features is its high concentration of a waxy, highly water-repellent substance called suberin, which makes it perfect as a stopper for liquids such as wine.

    unknown title 2009

  • One of cork's distinguishing features is its high concentration of a waxy, highly water-repellent substance called suberin, which makes it perfect as a stopper for liquids such as wine.

    unknown title 2009

  • One of cork's distinguishing features is its high concentration of a waxy, highly water-repellent substance called suberin, which makes it perfect as a stopper for liquids such as wine.

    unknown title 2009

  • One of cork's distinguishing features is its high concentration of a waxy, highly water-repellent substance called suberin, which makes it perfect as a stopper for liquids such as wine.

    unknown title 2009

  • Nearly 60% of the cell wall in cork is made up of suberin, a complex waxy substance similar to the cutin that coats many fruits, and this makes cork water-resistant and long-lived.

    On Food and Cooking, The Science and Lore of the Kitchen Harold McGee 2004

  • Nearly 60% of the cell wall in cork is made up of suberin, a complex waxy substance similar to the cutin that coats many fruits, and this makes cork water-resistant and long-lived.

    On Food and Cooking, The Science and Lore of the Kitchen Harold McGee 2004

  • Cork consists of a soft, highly elastic substance, as a basis, having diffused throughout a matter with properties resembling wax, tallow, and resin, yet dissimilar to all of these, and termed suberin.

    Familiar Letters on Chemistry Justus Freiherr von Liebig 1838

Comments

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  • A waxy, waterproof substance found in the cell walls of many plants, especially cork.

    January 28, 2009