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Glite Dictionary
fig wax

fig wax

9.9
A hard pale wax from fig tree leaves in Java used in polishes and cosmetics
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : cera de higuera
  • The polish contained fig wax to provide a glossy finish.

Examples

  • The artisan used fig wax to finish the wooden sculpture.

  • Some cosmetic products use fig wax as a natural ingredient.

  • Harvesting fig wax from Javanese trees requires careful processing.

  • Many cosmetics contain fig wax for added moisture.

  • Some cosmetic products use fig wax as a natural ingredient.

  • The polish contained fig wax to provide a glossy finish.

  • Many cosmetics contain fig wax for added moisture.

Synonyms

gondang wax
vsfig wax
  • Specialized
9.9

A hard cream-colored wax from a fig tree in Java that people use in cosmetics and polishes

specifies it comes from certain leaves and is used for polishes

Surface Forms

fig wax singular
fig waxes plural

Morphology

fig + wax

The compound is fully compositional: 'fig' specifies the source/type and 'wax' names the substance, and the dictionary definition directly matches the literal reading 'wax obtained from fig trees.' Source-based noun compounds of the form X + wax are regular in English (and parallel in many languages), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Fig wax comes from a natural wax that appears on the leaves of certain Javanese fig trees. People collected and processed that wax into a hard, cream-colored substance used in 'polishes and cosmetics', so the parts fig and wax show it means the wax made from fig leaves.