Definition

Noun: A hard, brittle, and typically transparent or translucent natural resin obtained from various trees, primarily those of the family Dipterocarpaceae (found in Southeast Asia) and the genus Agathis (kauri pines, found in Australasia). It is soluble in organic solvents and is historically used in varnishes, lacquers, and incense.

Examples of Usage

• The conservator used a solution of dammar resin to varnish the restored painting.
• Dammar resin is one of the traditional materials used in making high-quality artist's varnishes.
• The sample collected from the forest was identified as a type of dammar resin.

Advanced Usage

• Dammar varnish: A specific preparation where dammar resin is dissolved in a solvent like turpentine, used as a protective and glossy coating for paintings.
  • Applying a final layer of dammar varnish can enhance the colors of an oil painting.

Variants and Related Words

• Dammar (noun): A common shorter form for "dammar resin."
  • The recipe calls for crushed dammar.
• Gum dammar (noun): Another synonymous term, though "gum" is technically a misnomer as it is a true resin, not a gum.
• Damar: An alternative spelling.

Synonyms

• Copal (noun): A related type of hard resin, often fossilized or semi-fossilized, also used in varnishes.
• Resin (noun): The general category of solid or viscous substances of plant origin.

Notes on Different Meanings

The term "dammar resin" refers specifically to the natural product. It is not used idiomatically or as part of common phrasal verbs. Its meaning is consistent within the contexts of botany, chemistry, and art conservation.

Noun

1. any of various hard resins from trees of the family Dipterocarpaceae and of the genus Agathis; especially the amboyna pine