bay rum

noun

a fragrant liquid used chiefly as an aftershaving lotion, prepared by distilling the leaves of the tropical American bay, Pimenta racemosa, with rum or by mixing oil from the leaves with alcohol, water, and other oils.

Origin of bay rum

An Americanism dating back to 1830–40

Words nearby bay rum

bay of biscay, bay of pigs, bay oil, bay poplar, bay psalm book, bay rum, bay salt, bay scallop, bay shore, bay state, bay street

Example sentences from the Web for bay rum

  • He plastered it down with bay-rum till the family begged for mercy from the smell.

    Chicken Little Jane |Lily Munsell Ritchie

  • He entered when Matthews was rising, all redolent of bay-rum, and surveyed the latter in mock amaze.

    The Plow-Woman |Eleanor Gates

  • The fumes of bay-rum and stale beer struggled for supremacy.

    Just Around the Corner |Fannie Hurst

British Dictionary definitions for bay rum

bay rum

noun

an aromatic liquid, used in medicines and cosmetics, originally obtained by distilling the leaves of the bayberry tree (Pimenta racemosa) with rum: now also synthesized from alcohol, water, and various oils
bay rum tree another name for bayberry (def. 2)