: a resinous substance secreted by a scale insect (Laccifer lacca) and used chiefly in the form of shellac
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebAt the turn of the century, the ever-expanding electrical industry was running low on shellac, a resin secreted by the female lac bug which could be used as an insulating material. Alice Bell, CNN, 5 Nov. 2019 And the red paint in the upper layers of the painting bears the chemical signature of red lac (or red lake), a dye made from the laccaic acid found in parts of plants or insects. Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, 11 Dec. 2018 The most common species is perch, often served as filets de perche du lac Léman, or Lake Geneva perch filets. Jake Emen, USA TODAY, 21 Aug. 2017
Word History
Etymology
Persian lak & Hindi & Urdu lākh, from Sanskrit lākṣā