noun · verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/ˈtɜː.pənˌtaɪn/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/ˈtɝ.pənˌtaɪn/
rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)pəntaɪn
CMU ARPABET:T ER1 P AH0 N T AY2 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
Any oleoresin secreted by the wood or bark of certain trees.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A volatile essential oil now obtained from such oleoresin of from the wood of pine trees by steam distillation; a complex mixture of monoterpenes; now used as a solvent and paint thinner.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: spirit of turpentine, spirits of turpentine, oil of turpentine, terebenthene, terebinthine, turps, tarpin
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A turpentine tree (genus Syncarpia).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Australia, countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
To drain resin from (a tree) for use in making turpentine.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
volatile liquid distilled from turpentine oleoresin; used as paint thinner and solvent and medicinally
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: oil of turpentine, spirit of turpentine, turps
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: essential oil, volatile oil
6
noun
Meaning 6
obtained from conifers (especially pines)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: gum terpentine
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: oleoresin
Narrower terms: Chian turpentine
History
Etymology
From Middle English terebentyne, terbentyne, turbentine, from Old French terbentine, turbentine, Latin terebinthīna, from terebintha, from Ancient Greek τερεβινθίνη (terebinthínē), from τερεβινθινος (terebinthinos), from τερέβινθος (terébinthos). Related to terpene and terpin; etymologically equivalent to terebinth + -ine.
Across languages
Translations
102 source translations are retained for this English entry.