Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A fatty substance obtained from wool and used in soaps, cosmetics, and ointments. Also called wool fat.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A substance, consisting chiefly of cholesterin, extracted from wool, used as a basis for ointments.
Wiktionary
- n. A greasy yellow substance chemically akin to wax that is secreted from wooly animals, with a variety of uses from rust prevention, lubrication and waterproofing to cosmetics and skin ointments.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. (Physiol. Chem.) A peculiar fatlike body, made up of cholesterin and certain fatty acids, found in feathers, hair, wool, and keratin tissues generally.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a yellow viscous animal oil extracted from wool; a mixture of fatty acids and esters; used in some ointments and cosmetics
- n. an emollient containing wool fat (a fatty substance obtained from the wool of sheep)
Etymologies
- Former trademark, from lana (“wool”) + -in (Wiktionary)
- German : from Latin lāna, wool + Latin oleum, oil. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“Most cosmetics are made of lanolin, which is a mixture of purified wool fat and water beaten up into an emulsion.”
“The investigations of Liebreich have shown that this is closely allied to lanolin, which is the purified fat of sheep's wool.”
“Most commercial vitamin D3 does come from ‘wool oil’ also called lanolin, which does indeed come from sheep’s wool.”
New York to Dallas (and more on vitamin D) | The Blog of Michael R. Eades, M.D.
“The investigations of Liebreich have shown that this is closely allied to lanolin, which is the purified fat of sheep’s wool.”
“Tip: if you have any allergies to wool, avoid skin care products with lanolin which is made from sheep's wool.”
“My clothes, which are getting more ripped and threadbare by the day, have taken on a distinct waft of sheep's lanolin, muck and diesel.”
The Guardian: Back to the land: from London to sheep farming on Eigg
“He ordered me to start using lanolin cream on my breasts, unsavory as it may seem.”
“I quietly packed away my ego, made a quick call to my stockbroker, and relieved the local convenience store of their lanolin supply.”
“Bassett, who strode into press conferences giving off old-fashioned British manly odours of lanolin, talcum powder and social discomfort, has unfortunately remained predictably tight-lipped on the topic.”
The Guardian: Down go the fairy lights and down go Middlesbrough's promotion hopes | Harry Pearson
“And Jim, who brushes lanolin, an oily secretion from sheep's wool, into the rigging to stop it corroding.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘lanolin’.
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IMCO - EU nomenclature
includes words of the "Prodcom list"
abaca, abdominal, abrasive, absorbent, absorber, accelerator, accessory, account book, accumulator, acebutolol, acetaldehyde, acetamide and 4515 more...
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Open List: Sheepishness
Everything sheep, from Artiodactyla to zodiac.
lanolin, ram, ewe, Artiodactyla, even-toed ungulate, ruminant, Ovis aries, ovine, domestic, domesticated, neotenic, mouflon and 426 more...
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Animals (besides pottos)
.
robin, wagtail, frog, bunny, pronk, rabbit, fur, badger, mouse, bee, crepuscular, purr and 140 more...
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miscellany
extrapolate, effluvium, maelstrom, ecclesiastic, potentiate, prestidigitation, verisimilitude, innocuous, octogenarian, interlocutor, proselytize, ubiquitous and 138 more...
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Just 'cause I like 'em, L
lisle, lahar, loupe, labret, latten, luster, lagomorph, lamentation, limicole, lunge, lobtail, latifolious and 182 more...
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Evocative smells
They remind me of a particular time, place, or activity
cigar smoke, apples, tea roses, wild roses, lysol, shoe polish, linseed oil, school house, coal dust, mock orange, chlorine, violets and 116 more...
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the omnibus
preponderance, idioglossia, acumen, heteronym, flux, anacoluthon, metonymy, impetus, constellation, exegesis, revelatory, cloistered and 877 more...
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Genericide
Trademarks that have lost their character as indicators of source to become a general term for a product or service.
cellophane, aspirin, butterscotch, escalator, heroin, kerosene, thermos, yo-yo, zipper, dry ice, email, freeware and 106 more...
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Handspinning Words
Words relating to the gentle art of making yarn.
spinning, spin, span, spun, spinning wheel, spinning jenny, cards, carding, rolag, top, sliver, batt and 68 more...
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K -- L words
lachanopolist, loxoma, levulosuria, kedotherapy, kymotrichous, laurophile, lienocele, lienomyelogenous, kolyseptic, kimbly, keedug, kiyoodle and 45 more...
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Little Miss Different
A list of words that sound like girls' names. Inspired by a character named Anathema Device, who appears in one of my favorite books, Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.
conifer, bactine, anaesthesia, agora, careen, dilemma, helvetica, oubliette, rubella, homily, antarctica, analemma and 30 more...
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PETA Hates This List
Stuff made by or from animals, which we don't eat but is still useful.
leather, ivory, pearl, ambergris, coral, musk, lanolin, wool, horsehair, mohair, pashmina, fur and 15 more...
Tweets
Looking for tweets for lanolin.

hernesheir See comment under agnolin. Jan 1, 2011