Hypertext Webster Gateway: "ambergris"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Ambergris \Am"ber*gris\, n. [F. ambre gris, i. e., gray amber;
F. gris gray, which is of German origin: cf. OS. gr[^i]s, G.
greis, gray-haired. See {Amber}.]
A substance of the consistence of wax, found floating in the
Indian Ocean and other parts of the tropics, and also as a
morbid secretion in the intestines of the sperm whale
({Physeter macrocephalus}), which is believed to be in all
cases its true origin. In color it is white, ash-gray,
yellow, or black, and often variegated like marble. The
floating masses are sometimes from sixty to two hundred and
twenty-five pounds in weight. It is wholly volatilized as a
white vapor at 212[deg] Fahrenheit, and is highly valued in
perfumery. --Dana.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
ambergris
n : waxy substance secreted by the sperm whale and found
floating at sea or washed ashore; used in perfume
Additional Hypertext Webster Gateway Lookup
Gateway by dict@stokkie.net
stock only wrote the gateway and does not have any control over the contents;
see the Webster Gateway FAQ,
and also the Back-end/database links and credits.