camphor

Everyday

1. A white, waxy substance with a strong, sharp smell, taken from the wood of the camphor tree or made in factories; it is used in some medicines and rubs, and once to keep moths away from clothes. tree →
2. Camphor can also mean the large tree that the substance comes from. tree →

In the lessons

In science, camphor is a chemical that turns straight from a solid to a gas (it sublimes), which is why its smell spreads. In the past, clothes were stored with camphor or mothballs. In old stories, a room or old clothes smelling of camphor tells the reader they have been put away for a long time. Safety: camphor is poisonous if swallowed, especially for small children.

Examples

• The old trunk smelled of camphor. tree →
• Vapour rub has camphor and menthol in it. tree →
• Camphor is poisonous, so never eat it. tree →
• The camphor tree grows in Asia. tree →
• Grandma kept camphor in the wardrobe to stop moths. tree →
• The smell of camphor made my eyes water. tree →
• Thence we sailed to the isle of Rohat where the camphor trees grow to such a size that a hundred men could shelter under one of them with ease. tree →

Note

Uncountable. Sounds like «CAM-fer». Safety word: keep camphor products away from small children.