tall oil

[ tahl ]
/ tɑl /

noun

a resinous secondary product resulting from the manufacture of chemical wood pulp: used in the manufacture of soaps, paints, etc.

Origin of tall oil

1925–30; < Swedish tallolja, equivalent to tall pine (cognate with Old Norse thǫll young pine tree) + olja oil

British Dictionary definitions for tall oil

tall oil

noun

any of various oily liquid mixtures obtained by acidifying the liquor resulting from the treatment of wood pulp with sodium hydroxide: it contains chiefly rosin acids and fatty acids and is used in making soaps and lubricants

Word Origin for tall oil

C20: partial translation of German Tallöl, from Swedish tallolja, from tall pine + olja oil