oil of turpentine: Meaning and Definition of

oil' of tur'pentine

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. a colorless, flammable, volatile essential oil having a penetrating odor and a pungent, bitter taste, obtained from turpentine oleoresin by distillation: used in paints and varnishes, and in medicine as a carminative, vermifuge, expectorant, rubefacient, and, formerly, as a diuretic. Also called
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.