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Mastic
Definitions
- 1 An evergreen shrub or small tree, Pistacia lentiscus (mastic tree), native to the Mediterranean. countable, uncountable
"The island of Scio is now called by the Greeks Kio [Χιο], the antient Greek name of it was Chios [Χιος]; it was first called Ætalia in very antient times, and also Mastic, on account of the great number of mastic trees that were in this island."
- 2 an evergreen shrub of the Mediterranean region that is cultivated for its resin wordnet
- 3 A hard, brittle, aromatic and transparent resin produced by this tree and used to make varnishes and chewing gum, and as a flavouring. countable, uncountable
"The mastic, of which the people of Scio gather every year an incredible quantity, is a very rich gum, made use of in medicines, which distils from a shrub called, in Latin, Lentiscus."
- 4 a pasty cement used as an adhesive or filler wordnet
- 5 An alcoholic liquor flavoured with this resin. countable, uncountable
"He took a list from the desk and read aloud Fatima’s offerings:— […] four bottles of rare mastic from Scio."
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- 6 an aromatic exudate from the mastic tree; used chiefly in varnishes wordnet
- 7 Any of various cements, usually flexible and waterproof, used as an adhesive, sealant, caulk, or filler. Commonwealth, English, countable, especially, uncountable
"‘They have a few holes here and there. A few. Tiny tiny.’ ‘We could fix those up easy. Mastic cement. Not expensive, boss.’"
Etymology
From Middle English mastik, from Old French mastic, from Latin mastiche, from Ancient Greek μαστίχη (mastíkhē), from μαστιχάω (mastikháō, “I chew”) (note the chewing gum sense). Related to masticate. The broad sense for cements came via extension from predecessor cements made with the tree's resin. Doublet of mastika.
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