Plural of copal, a hard resinous substance obtained from tropical trees and used in varnishes and lacquers.
From Spanish copal, derived from Nahuatl copalli. The word traveled from Mesoamerica through Spanish colonizers into English, maintaining its original meaning as a valuable tree resin used in finishing surfaces.
Copal was so important to pre-Columbian civilizations that it was burned as incense in religious ceremonies—and today it's still used to make the finest violin varnishes, connecting ancient sacred practices to modern musical craftsmanship.
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