rosin

/ˈrɑzən/

Other forms: rosined; rosins; rosining

Rosin is a sticky, semi-solid substance made from pine tree residue. It has many uses, including making a stringed instrument's bow vibrate more clearly. When you rosin your bow, you apply rosin to it.

Rosin is a type of resin, the sticky material exuded by trees and plants. To use rosin, it needs to be heated — at room temperature, it's brittle and hard, but when it's warmed rosin becomes thick and melted. In addition to perfecting the sound of a bow on strings, rosin is also an ingredient in ink, glue, certain types of paper, and soap, among many other uses. The Greek root rhetine means "resin of the pine."

Definitions of rosin

1. noun

   any of a class of solid or semisolid viscous substances obtained either as exudations from certain plants or prepared by polymerization of simple molecules
   synonyms: resin

   types:

   East India kino, Malabar kino, kino gum

   reddish or black juice or resin from certain trees of the genus Pterocarpus and used in medicine and tanning etc

   natural resin

   a plant exudate

   synthetic resin

   a resin having a polymeric structure; especially a resin in the raw state; used chiefly in plastics

   sandarac, sandarach

   a brittle and faintly aromatic translucent resin used in varnishes

   guaiacum

   medicinal resin from the lignum vitae tree

   storax

   a vanilla-scented resin from various trees of the genus Styrax

   scammony

   resin from the root of Convolvulus scammonia

   acrylate resin, acrylic, acrylic resin

   a glassy thermoplastic; can be cast and molded or used in coatings and adhesives

   polyethylene, polythene

   a lightweight thermoplastic; used especially in packaging and insulation

   acaroid resin, accaroid resin, accroides, accroides gum, accroides resin, gum accroides

   an alcohol-soluble resin from Australian trees; used in varnishes and in manufacturing paper

   allyl resin

   a resin derived from allyl alcohol that hardens when cured; used as an adhesive

   anime, gum anime

   any of various resins or oleoresins

   asafetida, asafoetida

   the brownish gum resin of various plants; has strong taste and odor; formerly used as an antispasmodic

   camphor

   a resin obtained from the camphor tree; used in making celluloid and liniment

   cannabin, cannabis resin

   a resin obtained from the hemp plant; thought to be the active narcotic agent in marijuana

   amber

   a hard yellowish to brownish translucent fossil resin; used for jewelry

   urea-formaldehyde resin

   a clear thermosetting resin made from urea and formaldehyde and used in electrical fittings, adhesives, and finishes

   copal

   a brittle aromatic resin used in varnishes

   damar, dammar, dammar resin, gum dammar

   any of various hard resins from trees of the family Dipterocarpaceae and of the genus Agathis; especially the amboyna pine

   colophony

   translucent brittle substance produced from pine oleoresin; used especially in varnishes and inks and on the bows of stringed instruments

   mastic

   an aromatic exudate from the mastic tree; used chiefly in varnishes

   oleoresin

   a naturally occurring mixture of a resin and an essential oil; obtained from certain plants

   gum resin

   a mixture of resin and gum

   alkyd, alkyd resin

   a durable synthetic resin widely used in adhesives and paints

   phenolic, phenolic resin, phenoplast

   a thermosetting resin

   epoxy, epoxy glue, epoxy resin

   a thermosetting resin; used chiefly in strong adhesives and coatings and laminates

   melamine resin

   a thermosetting resin formed from melamine and an aldehyde; used in molded products, adhesives, and coatings

   polyester

   any of numerous synthetic resins; they are light and strong and weather resistant

   polyvinyl resin, vinyl polymer, vinyl resin

   a thermoplastic derived by polymerization from compounds containing the vinyl group

   wood tar

   any tar obtained by the destructive distillation of wood

   type of:

   organic compound

   any compound of carbon and another element or a radical
2. verb

   rub rosin onto
   “rosin the violin bow”

   type of:

   rub

   move over something with pressure