castoreum

plural castoreums · plural castorea · alternative castorium

1. countableuncountableThe bitter exudate of the castor sacs of mature beavers, used as a scent mark, and as a tincture in some perfumes.

   Synthetic castoreums are now available, and can be as good as the natural fragrant^([sic]).

   2004, Christian V. Stevens, Roland Verhé, Renewable Bioresources: Scope and Modification for Non-Food Applications, page 257

   3 more examples

   One of the substances tried was castoreum.[…]If I were to judge from my own experience, I would say castoreum has very little therapeutic power, for I have not seen much benefit from its employment in those cases to which this remedy is said to be adapted.

   1835 November 28, Jon Pereira, “Lectures on Materia Medica, or Pharmacology, and General Therapeutics: Lecture IX: On Castoreum”, in London Medical Gazette, volume 17, page 299

   While the role of castoreum as a means of territorial advertisement has been extensively investigated and supported, the possibility of coding for sex information has not yet been excluded.

   1999, L. Sun, D. Müller-Schwarze, “Chemical Signals in the Beaver: One Species, Two Secretions, Many Functions?”, in Robert E. Johnston, Dietland Müller-Schwarze, Peter W. Sorenson, editors, Advances in Chemical Signals in Vertebrates, page 284

   Real oud is complex material, with honey, tobacco, leaf, minty-fresh and castoreum animalic notes all mixed together.

   2010, Luca Turin, Tania Sanchez, “M7”, in Perfumes: The A–Z Guide, Profile Books, →ISBN, page 233

   Synonyms: castor

2. archaiccountableuncountableA hat made from beaver fur.

   Synonyms: beaver, castor