Definition

Noun: 1. A natural, waxy substance secreted by sheep: Wool grease is a yellow, viscous substance produced by the sebaceous glands of sheep. It coats the wool fibers, providing natural waterproofing and protection for the sheep's skin. 2. A raw material for lanolin: When purified, wool grease becomes lanolin, which is used in various ointments, cosmetics, and leather treatments.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:
  • The raw wool was heavy with natural wool grease.
  • Wool grease must be cleaned from the fleece before the wool can be spun into yarn.
  • The cosmetic company sources high-quality wool grease for its skincare products.

Advanced Usage

• Technical/Industrial Context: In textile manufacturing, "wool grease" refers specifically to the unrefined, crude substance removed during the scouring (washing) process of raw wool. The term distinguishes it from the purified product, lanolin.
  • The scouring plant separates the wool grease from the wash water for later refinement.

Variants and Related Words

• Lanolin (noun): The purified, refined form of wool grease, used in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.
  • Lanolin is a common moisturizing ingredient in lip balms.
• Suint (noun): The water-soluble component of sheep's sweat, often found mixed with wool grease on raw wool.
• Yolk (noun): An older or regional term, particularly in the wool trade, referring to the natural grease and sweat in a sheep's fleece.

Synonyms

• Crude lanolin: Emphasizes its state as an unrefined raw material.
• Wool fat: A common alternative name, though "grease" is more accurate as it is a wax, not a true fat.
• Wool wax: A chemically precise synonym.

Related Phrases and Compounds

• Wool grease recovery: The industrial process of extracting and collecting grease from wool wash water.
• Degreased wool: Wool that has had the wool grease removed.

Noun

1. a yellow viscous animal oil extracted from wool; a mixture of fatty acids and esters; used in some ointments and cosmetics