creosote
1 of 2noun
cre·o·sote ˈkrē-ə-ˌsōt 
1
: a clear or yellowish flammable oily liquid mixture of phenolic compounds obtained by the distillation of tar derived from wood and especially from beech wood
2
: a brownish oily liquid consisting chiefly of aromatic hydrocarbons obtained by distillation of coal tar and used especially as a wood preservative
3
: a dark brown or black flammable tar deposited from especially wood smoke on the walls of a chimney
4
: creosote bush
creosote
2 of 2verb
creosoted; creosoting
transitive verb
: to treat with creosote
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web
Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 11 May 2022 Flames from the conveyor belt dropped onto the pier below, which is topped with blacktop road surface and has large timbers underneath that are pre-soaked in creosote, a flammable chemical material, Chadwick said. Jessica Flores, San Francisco Chronicle, 10 Apr. 2022 Wooden beams on the docks are coated in creosote, a waterproofing material that is highly flammable, causing plumes of black smoke to shoot into the sky, Giuliani said. Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2022 Each gribble has four mouths, a healthy appetite, and a symbiotic partnership with a bacterium that breaks down creosote. Bruce Barcott, Outside Online, 25 Aug. 2011 Keep an eye out for the foundations of the defunct Spur Cross dude ranch crumbling among cholla and creosote shrubs. Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 5 Feb. 2022 The landscape itself is far from barren—more than 1,000 plant species populate Death Valley, from cacti and creosote in its lowest reaches to junipers and pines up high. Shawnté Salabert, Outside Online, 6 Nov. 2019 The distinctive fragrance produced by creosote oil has been described as sweet and earthy. San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Dec. 2021 After removing or capping the creosote-laden sediment, ERP contractors installed an oyster reef. Carrie Arnold, The Atlantic, 15 Mar. 2021 oregonlive, 17 Oct. 2020 See More
Noun
There’s creosote, which is this bush that smells amazing. Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 11 May 2022 Flames from the conveyor belt dropped onto the pier below, which is topped with blacktop road surface and has large timbers underneath that are pre-soaked in creosote, a flammable chemical material, Chadwick said. Jessica Flores, San Francisco Chronicle, 10 Apr. 2022 Wooden beams on the docks are coated in creosote, a waterproofing material that is highly flammable, causing plumes of black smoke to shoot into the sky, Giuliani said. Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2022 Each gribble has four mouths, a healthy appetite, and a symbiotic partnership with a bacterium that breaks down creosote. Bruce Barcott, Outside Online, 25 Aug. 2011 Keep an eye out for the foundations of the defunct Spur Cross dude ranch crumbling among cholla and creosote shrubs. Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 5 Feb. 2022 The landscape itself is far from barren—more than 1,000 plant species populate Death Valley, from cacti and creosote in its lowest reaches to junipers and pines up high. Shawnté Salabert, Outside Online, 6 Nov. 2019 The distinctive fragrance produced by creosote oil has been described as sweet and earthy. San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Dec. 2021 After removing or capping the creosote-laden sediment, ERP contractors installed an oyster reef. Carrie Arnold, The Atlantic, 15 Mar. 2021 Verb
So, then the question becomes: How long does creosote remain a risk in the soil? oregonlive, 17 Oct. 2020 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
German Kreosot, from Greek kreas flesh + sōtēr preserver, from sōzein to preserve, from sōs safe (probably akin to Sanskrit tavīti he is strong); from its antiseptic properties — more at raw
First Known Use
Noun
1835, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
1836, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing creosote
Medical Definition
creosote
noun
cre·o·sote ˈkrē-ə-ˌsōt
1
: a clear or yellowish flammable oily liquid mixture of phenolic compounds obtained by the distillation of wood tar especially from beech wood and used especially as a disinfectant and as an expectorant in chronic bronchitis
2
: a brownish oily liquid consisting chiefly of aromatic hydrocarbons obtained by distillation of coal tar and used especially as a wood preservative