lac

(lak)

noun

  1. a resinous substance secreted by various scale insects, esp. a species (Laccifer lacca) of India, that live on certain fig, soapberry, and acacia trees: when melted, strained, and rehardened, it forms shellac
  2. lakh

Origin: Hindi lākh < Sans lākṣā, var. of rākṣā, prob. < IE base *reg-, to color (> Gr regma, colored material); in part via Fr laque < OProv laca < Ar lakk < Pers lak, of same orig.

See lac in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
A resinous secretion of the lac insect deposited on trees and used in making shellac.

Origin:

Origin: Dutch lac

Origin: or French laque

Origin: , both from Old French lacce

Origin: , from Medieval Latin lacca

Origin: , from Arabic lakk

Origin: , from Prakrit lakkhā

Origin: , from Sanskrit lākṣā, red dye, resin

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