castoreum

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a strong-smelling secretion from a beaver's castor sacs, used in scent marking and historically in medicine and perfumery

   The beaver deposited castoreum on the mound to mark its territory.

From Middle English castorium, through Latin castoreum from castor, 'beaver,' ultimately related to Greek kastor. The substance was traded for medicine and perfume long before its biological role in beaver scent marking was understood.

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