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Meaning & use

resinous

adjective·Advancedtechnical

Last updated

UK/ˈrezɪnəs/
US/ˈrɛzənəs/

Meaning

  1. adjectivenot comparabletechnical

    Made of, full of, or similar to the thick sticky substance that oozes from some trees such as pines.

    Grammar: Usually used before a noun: resinous wood.

    The campfire crackled and gave off a resinous smoke.

    Pine is a resinous wood that burns easily.

    The cabin smelled of resinous cedar planks.

Common combinations

resinous wood
Resinous wood makes good kindling.
resinous scent
A resinous scent hung in the pine forest.
resinous smell
The candle had a warm, resinous smell.
resinous tree
Fir is a resinous tree common in cold regions.
resinous flavor
The wine had a slightly resinous flavor.

Synonyms and how they differ

sticky
Sticky only describes how a surface clings, while resinous also names its source in tree resin.
gummy
Gummy suggests a soft, rubbery texture and not necessarily resin from a tree.
balsamic
Balsamic is used for the sweet, fragrant quality of certain resins and perfumes.

Word family

resin noun
the sticky substance from certain trees
resinate verb
to treat with resin
rosin noun
hardened resin used on violin bows
resiny adjective
a less common word for resinous

Commonly confused: resinous or resilient?

resinous vs resilient

Resilient means able to recover from difficulties, and has no connection with tree resin.

Practice

A pine log that is full of sticky sap from the tree is best described as _____.

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