the yellow aromatic oil obtained from citronella grass, used in insect repellents, soaps, perfumes, etc
another name for citronella (sense 2)
citronella oil in American English
noun
a light-yellowish pungent oil, distilled from citronella, used in the manufacture of liniment, perfume, and soap, and as an insect repellent
Also called: citronella
Word origin
[1880–85]This word is first recorded in the period 1880–85. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: Chief of Staff, automatism, barnstorm, impressionism, jackpot
Examples of 'citronella oil' in a sentence
citronella oil
Citronella oil acts as a repellent but must be re-applied hourly to be effective.