candelilla

[ kan-dl-ee-uh ]

noun

1. a shrub, Euphorbia antisyphilitica, of the southwestern United States and Mexico, that is the source of a wax candelilla wax having various commercial uses.

Word History and Origins

Origin of candelilla¹

First recorded in 1935–40; from Latin American Spanish, Spanish: literally, “small candle,” equivalent to candel(a) candle + -illa diminutive suffix

Example Sentences

I dabbed candelilla wax on my lips from the small tin pot I had brought with us.

From Literature

For example, candelilla wax, an ingredient in the deodorant, is harvested from a wild shrub of the same name.

From BBC

The choice was made to replace the candelilla wax in the deodorant with sunflower wax, which is a high-yielding crop common in the US and Canada.

From BBC