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

Etymology: 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.