mineral oil

noun

a colorless, oily, almost tasteless, water-insoluble liquid, usually of either a standard light density (light mineral oil) or a standard heavy density (heavy mineral oil), consisting of mixtures of hydrocarbons obtained from petroleum by distillation: used chiefly as a lubricant, in the manufacture of cosmetics, and in medicine as a laxative.
Also called liquid petrolatum.

Origin of mineral oil

First recorded in 1795–1805

Words nearby mineral oil

miner's right, mineral, mineral charcoal, mineral jelly, mineral kingdom, mineral oil, mineral pitch, mineral spirits, mineral spring, mineral tar, mineral water

Example sentences from the Web for mineral oil

  • Mineral-oil lamps introduced the danger of explosions of the vapors produced by evaporation.

    Artificial Light |M. Luckiesh

British Dictionary definitions for mineral oil

mineral oil

noun

British any oil of mineral origin, esp petroleum
US and Canadian a colourless almost tasteless oily liquid obtained by petroleum distillation and used as a laxative Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): liquid paraffin

Medical definitions for mineral oil

mineral oil

n.

Any of various light hydrocarbon oils, especially a distillate of petroleum.
A refined distillate of petroleum, used as a laxative.

Scientific definitions for mineral oil

mineral oil

A colorless, odorless, tasteless oil distilled from petroleum. It is used as a lubricant and, in medicine, as a laxative.