Definition

Noun: 1. A type of fossilized resin: Kauri copal is a specific kind of resin that originates from the ancient kauri trees (Agathis australis) of New Zealand. It is typically found in a fossilized or semi-fossilized state. 2. A material for varnishes and linoleum: This resin is valued for its properties and has been collected and used historically in the manufacture of high-quality varnishes and linoleum.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The museum displayed a beautiful piece of kauri copal containing a preserved insect.
  • Traditional varnish recipes sometimes included kauri copal for its durability and gloss.
  • Digging in the swamp, they hoped to find kauri copal from the prehistoric forest.

Advanced Usage

• Distinction from Amber: While both are fossilized resins, kauri copal is generally younger (often only thousands of years old) and less polymerized than true amber (which is millions of years old). It is sometimes called "young amber" or "sub-fossil resin."
• "Kauri gum": In a broader, less technical sense, kauri copal is often grouped under the general term "kauri gum," which refers to both fresh and fossilized resin from kauri trees. However, kauri copal specifically denotes the older, hardened resin suitable for industrial use.

Variants and Related Words

• Kauri (n): The giant coniferous tree () native to New Zealand that produces the resin.
• Copal (n): A general term for a type of resinous substance from various tropical trees, often used as a precursor to amber or in varnishes. Kauri copal is a specific type of copal.
• Kauri gum (n): A broader term encompassing all resin exuded by the kauri tree, from fresh sap to fully fossilized kauri copal.

Synonyms

• Fossil resin
• Kauri resin (less specific)
• Sub-fossil amber

Related Phrases

• To dig for kauri copal/gum: Refers to the historical practice of extracting the resin from the ground in regions where ancient kauri forests once stood.
  • In the 19th century, many settlers dug for kauri copal to sell.

Noun

1. resin of the kauri trees of New Zealand; found usually as a fossil; also collected for making varnishes and linoleum