noun
lac
LAK/læk/
A resin secreted by certain insects, used to make coatings and dyes.
Workers collect lac from branches and process it into shellac.
Etymology
Sanskrit laksha means “red dye,” highlighting the resin's color rather than its insect origin. The deeper origin of that name is uncertain.
In context
The walls are made with a insect infused paint called lac. These insects produce a resin that creates this pinky purple color.
This is something called stick lac and it, these are the secretions of something called the lac insect…
More examples
- The factory processes raw lac for use in varnish.
- This red dye is extracted from lac.
- The harvested lac still contains bits of bark.
Similar words
- resin
- Resin includes plant and synthetic substances, not just insect secretions.
- shellac
- Shellac is refined lac, rather than the raw insect secretion.