castor
tər, ˈkɑ noun
1.
Also, castoreum. a brownish, unctuous substance with a strong, penetrating odor, secreted by certain glands in the groin of the beaver, used in medicine and perfumery.
2.
a hat made of beaver or rabbit fur.
3.
a heavy woolen cloth used mainly for coats.
4.
a beaver.
Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin < Greek kástōr beaver
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin < Greek kástōr beaver
00:10
Castor
is always a great word to know.
So is zedonk. Does it mean:
| the offspring of a zebra and a donkey. |
| a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare. |
Dictionary.com Unabridged
noun
caster ( defs 2–5 ).
noun Astronomy.
a star of the second magnitude in the constellation Gemini, the more northerly of the two bright stars in this constellation.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To castor
Collins
World English Dictionary
castor1 (ˈkɑːstə) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | the brownish aromatic secretion of the anal glands of a beaver, used in perfumery and medicine |
| 2. | the fur of the beaver |
| 3. | a hat made of beaver or similar fur |
| 4. | a less common name for beaver |
| [C14: from Latin, from Greek kastōr beaver] | |
| Castor (ˈkɑːstə) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | the second brightest star, Alpha Geminorum, in the constellation Gemini: a multiple star consisting of six components lying close to the star Pollux. Distance: 52 light years |
| 2. | classical myth See Castor and Pollux |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
castor
"beaver," late 14c., from O.Fr. castor, from L. castor "beaver," from Gk. Kastor "he who excels," one of the divine twins (with Pollux), worshipped by women in ancient Greece as a healer and preserver from disease. His name was given to secretions of the animal, used medicinally in ancient times. Through
this association his name replaced the native L. word for "beaver," which was fiber. Modern castor oil is first recorded 1746; it is made from seeds of the plant Ricinus communis but supposedly possesses qualities (and taste) similar to those of beaver juice, and thus so named.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
Castor  (kās'tər) Pronunciation Key
A bright multiple star in the constellation Gemini, with a combined apparent magnitude of 0.08. Scientific name: Alpha Geminorum. |
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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