Meanings
plural lamp oils · alternative lamp-oil · alternative lampoil
- countableuncountableAny clean-burning oil used as fuel in an oil lamp.
Near-synonym: (often synonymous) kerosene
1 more example
He was much pleased at the prospect of the oil he would get from him, turned the heavy creature from one side to the other, fondled him like a baby, and assured me he was a "stunning fat sea-cub," which should be welcomed at home for boot-grease and lamp-oil.
1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 184Synonyms: kerosene
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAny clean-burning oil used as fuel in an oil lamp.
More synonyms by meaning
nouna flammable hydrocarbon oil used as fuel in lamps and heaters
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Middle Englishlamp oyl
- Englishlamp oil
From Middle English lamp oyl, lampehoyle, lamp oyle, lampe oyl, lampe oyle, equivalent to lamp + oil. Compare West Frisian lampoalje (“lamp-oil”), Dutch lampolie (“lamp-oil”), German Lampenöl (“lamp-oil”), Danish lampeolie (“lamp-oil”), Swedish lampolja (“lamp-oil”), Icelandic lampaolía (“lamp-oil”).
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Dutch lampolie
- lampolieoil used in lamps
Finnish lamppuöljy
- lamppuöljyoil used in lamps
Polish olej parafinowy
- olej parafinowyoil used in lamps
Turkish kandil yağı
- kandil yağıoil used in lamps
Cite this entry
lamp oil. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lamp%20oil
“lamp oil.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lamp%20oil. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lamp oil,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lamp%20oil.
Source: lamp oil on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.