Mastik

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A fragrant resin obtained from the mastic tree and used in making varnishes, adhesives, and flavorings
2. A yellowish gum or resin harvested from Mediterranean mastic trees, prized for varnish production and culinary applications
3. A aromatic resin derived from the mastic tree, employed in varnishes, adhesives, and as a flavoring agent in foods and beverages

Etymology: Ancient Greeks chewed a pale resin scraped from the bark of the lentisk, a small evergreen shrub, and called it "mastichē," from "mastichein," meaning "to gnash" or "chew." The name describes what people did with the gum, not its appearance or use as a varnish. The Greek term passed into Latin as "mastiche" and then into Old French as "mastic," which English borrowed in the Middle Ages. Along the way it kept its link to the resin, which was used for chewing, for varnishes, and for cements that sealed joints and held materials together.