sperm oil
noun Chemistry.
a yellow, thin, water-insoluble liquid obtained from the sperm whale, used chiefly as a lubricant in light machinery, as watches, clocks, and scientific apparatus.
Origin of sperm oil
First recorded in 1820–30
Words nearby sperm oil
speos,
speranski,
sperm,
sperm bank,
sperm cell,
sperm oil,
sperm washing,
sperm whale,
sperm-,
sperm-aster,
sperma-
British Dictionary definitions for sperm oil
sperm oil
noun
an oil obtained from the head of the sperm whale, used as a lubricant