castoreum

Variant of castor

castor definition

cas·tor (kas′tər)

noun

  1. Rare a beaver
  2. a sexual gland of the beaver containing a strong-smelling, oily substance used as a scent in trapping and in making perfumes
    also castoreum cas·to′·reum (kas tôr′ē əm)
  3. a hat of beaver or rabbit fur

Etymology: Fr < L < Gr kastōr, beaver, after Castor: with ref. to Castor as protector of women from disease; substance was used for treating women's diseases

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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