colophony

C3O1L1O1P3H4O1N1Y4

noun

Rosin; the residue left after the distillation of oil of turpentine from liquid resin, used in pharmaceutical preparations, soldering fluxes, and by violinists.

OriginLatin colophonia →
Scrabble 19
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Meanings

nouncolophony (usually uncountable, plural colophonies)

plural colophonies

  1. uncountableusuallyRosin; the residue left after the distillation of oil of turpentine from liquid resin, used in pharmaceutical preparations, soldering fluxes, and by violinists.

    This resin or turpentine is a very interesting and peculiar substance, or rather series of substances. It is valuable because tar, pitch, rosin, and colophony are obtained by distilling it.

    1907, G. F. Scott Elliot, The Romance of Plant Life

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
rosin

Origin

  1. Latincolophonia“of Colophon”
  2. Englishcolophony

From Latin colophonia (“of Colophon”) resina (“resin”); named after the Ionic city of Colophon, which was known for producing hardened resin.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

colophony. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/colophony

MLA

“colophony.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/colophony. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “colophony,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/colophony.

Source: colophony on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.