urushiol
/ʊˈruːʃɪɒl
/noun [mass noun] Biochemistry
An oily liquid which is the main constituent of Japanese lacquer and is responsible for the irritant properties of poison ivy and other plants. It consists of a mixture of catechol derivatives.All parts of the poison ivy plant produce the oily irritating agent, urushiol....
- Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac all contain the same allergic irritant: urushiol.
- Unfortunately, the study also found that carbon dioxide-enhanced poison ivy boasts a stronger strain of urushiol, which may prove even more poisonous to humans.
Origin
Early 20th century: from Japanese urushi 'Japanese lacquer' + -ol.
- messenger RNA
- messengership
- messenger wire
- Messenian
- Messer
- Messerschmidt
- Messerschmidt, Willy
- Messerschmitt
- mess hall
- Messiaen, Olivier
- messiah
- Messiah complex
- Messiah figure
- messiahship
- messianic
- Messianically
- Messianic complex
- messianism
- Messidor
- Messier, Charles
- Messieurs
- messily
- Messina
- Messina, Strait of
- Messinese