What is white spirit? How to use in English

Discover the meaning of white spirit in English, its pronunciation, and how to use it correctly in real-life situations. See examples and easy memorization tips.

Definition & pronunciation of white spirit

white spiritnoun
tinh thần trắng
/ˌwaɪt ˈspɪrɪt//ˌwaɪt ˈspɪrɪt/

Where does the word white spirit come from?

The term "white spirit" refers to a colorless, volatile liquid used as a solvent in various industries such as printing, cleaning, and painting. Its chemical name is petroleum spirits, naphtha, or mineral spirits, and it is obtained through distillation of petroleum crude oil. The name "white spirit" derives from its former appearance, as it used to have a faint yellow tinge. However, advances in distillation technology have made it clearer and more colorless, giving it its current white hue. The term "spirit" is misleading, as it does not contain any alcohol, or ethanol, but rather hydrocarbons with carbon chain lengths between six and twelve molecules.

Example of vocabulary white spiritnamespace

The painter used white spirit to clean his paintbrushes after completing the artwork.
Due to the flammable nature of white spirit, it should always be stored away from heat sources.
I accidentally spilled a small amount of white spirit on the carpet, but luckily it came out with some vinegar and water.
The plumber used white spirit to dissolve the old sealing compound before replacing the boss fitting.
The white spirit-soaked rags were placed in a container for disposal, as advised by the manufacturer.