Cinnamein

/ˈsɪnəmiːn/ noun

Definition

A resinous or oily substance extracted from cinnamon bark, formerly used in medicine and perfumery.

Etymology

From cinnamon + -ein (Greek suffix for substances or proteins). Named in the 18th-19th centuries by pharmacists isolating active ingredients from cinnamon.

Kelly Says

Old apothecaries treasured cinnamein as a medicine because it concentrated the 'virtue' of cinnamon—they didn't understand chemistry, but they knew that boiling down the bark created something more potent.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.