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Glite Dictionary
lac wax

lac wax

9.9
A hard natural wax made when shellac is treated with alcohol
  • noun
  • /læk wæks/
  • Specialized
translation icon : cera de lac
  • Manufacturers extract lac wax from shellac during refinement processes.

Examples

  • The coating was made from purified lac wax for a glossy finish.

  • Lac wax is valued in industry for its resistance to moisture and alcohol.

  • The artisan uses lac wax for crafting beautiful candles.

  • Did you know that lac wax is a by-product of shellac?

  • Manufacturers extract lac wax from shellac during refinement processes.

  • The coating was made from purified lac wax for a glossy finish.

  • The artisan uses lac wax for crafting beautiful candles.

Synonyms

wax
vslac wax
187 2.8

A solid natural material that bees make, used to make candles and polish things

refers to this specific hard natural by-product from shellac rather than the general substance
shellac wax
vslac wax
  • Specialized
8.9

A hard natural wax removed from shellac and used in polishes and cosmetics

has identical meaning but uses an alternative traditional name

Surface Forms

lac wax singular
lac waxes plural

Morphology

lac + wax

The noun is a straightforward composition: 'lac' (a natural insect resin) + 'wax' yields 'wax derived from lac'. The meaning is directly inferable from the constituent words (though the exact production process is technical), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would understand the basic sense.

Etymology

Lac wax comes from lac, the sticky resin made by tiny insects, plus wax, a hard substance. When people make shellac from that resin with alcohol, a hard 'leftover' wax does not mix with the alcohol and comes away. That's why lac wax today means the hard wax left from shellac which resists water and alcohol.