What does lac mean?
Lac is a reddish resin secreted by a small scale insect, commonly called the lac insect. The resin is collected and processed into shellac, which is widely used in varnish, polish, and other protective coatings. Lac can also produce a strong red or scarlet dye, historically important in textiles, painting, and decorative arts. The name has long-standing links with the trade in natural resins and with the development of lacquer techniques across South and Southeast Asia. Today, references to lac often occur in specialist contexts involving entomology, natural pigments, conservation, and the manufacture of traditional varnishes. The word should not be confused with “lack,” meaning an absence, or with “lake,” the body of water pronounced differently.
nounA reddish-brown resin secreted by the lac insect and used in making varnishes, dyes, and shellac. The word can also refer to the insect itself or to a red dye prepared from the resin.
- A resinous secretion of the lac insect, used in the production of shellac, varnishes, and pigments.
- The lac insect itself, particularly the female of the scale insect that produces the resin.
- A reddish dye prepared from lac resin.
"The artisans melted lac over a low flame and brushed the glossy resin onto the wooden box."
"Workers harvest lac from the trees where the insects have secreted their resin."
"The robe was dyed a brilliant scarlet with a traditional lacquer made from lac."
The plural is used when referring to separate deposits, kinds, or quantities of lac resin, or to multiple lac insects.
"The museum compared samples of different lacs used in eighteenth-century furniture varnish."
The vivid red dye once made from lac gave its name to a beetle, a resin, and an entire branch of natural lacquerwork.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does lac come from?
The English word comes through Persian and Hindustani forms ultimately traced to Sanskrit lākṣa, denoting the resin or lac insect. European use expanded during the period of expanding trade with South Asia, when the resin became important in dyes, coatings, and decorative work. English lacquer is a related borrowing, while lakh ultimately derives from the same South Asian source but normally denotes a numerical hundred thousand.
Related word forms
How lac is actually used
In modern English, lac most often refers to the raw insect resin or the insect that produces it. In the phrase “lac dye,” it denotes the reddish coloring matter obtained from the resin.
Easily confused with lac
Lac is a resinous substance, whereas lack means an absence or deficiency.
Lac is pronounced like “lack” and refers to resin, while lake is pronounced “layk” and can mean a large body of water.