sperm oil

sperm oil
noun
an animal oil found in the blubber of the sperm whale
• Hypernyms: ↑animal oil

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noun
Etymology: so called from its being found in the sperm whale
: a pale yellow oil that is found with spermaceti in the head cavities and blubber of the sperm whale, is classed chemically as a liquid wax, and is used chiefly as a lubricant (as for light machinery)

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Chem.
a yellow, thin, water-insoluble liquid obtained from the sperm whale, used chiefly as a lubricant in light machinery, as watches, clocks, and scientific apparatus.
[1820-30]

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sperm oil noun
Oil from the sperm whale
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Main Entry: ↑sperm

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sperm oil,
a light-yellow oil from the head of the sperm whale, used for lubricating delicate mechanisms.

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n. an oil found with spermaceti in the head of the sperm whale, used formerly as a lubricant

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Sperm oil — Sperm Sperm, n.[Contr. fr. spermaceti.] Spermaceti. [1913 Webster] {Sperm oil}, a fatty oil found as a liquid, with spermaceti, in the head cavities of the sperm whale. {Sperm whale}. (Zo[ o]l.) See in the Vocabulary. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sperm oil — ► NOUN ▪ an oil found with spermaceti in the head of the sperm whale, used formerly as a lubricant …   English terms dictionary

  • sperm oil — n. a valuable lubricating oil from the sperm whale …   English World dictionary

  • sperm oil — sperm′ oil n. chem. a thin, yellow, water insoluble liquid obtained from the sperm whale, used as a lubricant • Etymology: 1820–30 …   From formal English to slang

  • sperm oil — Chem. a yellow, thin, water insoluble liquid obtained from the sperm whale, used chiefly as a lubricant in light machinery, as watches, clocks, and scientific apparatus. [1820 30] * * * ▪ oil       pale yellow oil obtained with spermaceti from… …   Universalium

  • sperm oil — /ˈspɜm ɔɪl/ (say sperm oyl) noun an oil from the sperm whale …  

  • sperm oil — noun Date: 1839 a pale yellow oil from the sperm whale …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • sperm oil — noun an oil found with spermaceti in the head of the sperm whale, used formerly as a lubricant …   English new terms dictionary

  • Sperm whale — Sperm Whale[1] Size compared to an average human …   Wikipedia

  • Sperm — Sperm, n.[Contr. fr. spermaceti.] Spermaceti. [1913 Webster] {Sperm oil}, a fatty oil found as a liquid, with spermaceti, in the head cavities of the sperm whale. {Sperm whale}. (Zo[ o]l.) See in the Vocabulary. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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