champac

[ cham-pak, chuhm-puhk ]

noun

1. a southern Asian tree, Michelia champaca, of the magnolia family, having fragrant yellow or orange flowers and yielding an oil champaca oil used in perfumes.

champac

/ ˈtʃʌmpʌk; ˈtʃæmpæk /

noun

1. a magnoliaceous tree, Michelia champaca, of India and the East Indies. Its fragrant yellow flowers yield an oil used in perfumes and its wood is used for furniture

Word History and Origins

Origin of champac¹

1760–70; < Hindi campak < Sanskrit campaka

Word History and Origins

Origin of champac¹

C18: from Hindi campak, from Sanskrit campaka, of Dravidian origin

Example Sentences

Round and round I went, taking the wind from every quarter; there was the scent of nothing but the white jasmine, and the yellow-hearted champac.

From Project Gutenberg

At the feet of the god were the offerings of the pilgrims, and on each side of the idol stood an attendant priest holding a censer, which he swung to and fro, and the fumes from which, heavy with the odour of the wild jasmine and the champac, curled slowly up to the blackened dome.

From Project Gutenberg

The mahout's small son, engaged with an equally small friend in the pleasant occupation of stringing into garlands the thick yellow and white champac blossoms that strewed the ground under the broad-leaved tree near the lentena hedge, was startled by an angry trumpet, and looked in the direction of Shere Bahadur.

From Project Gutenberg

In speaking of it, he says: "The strong aromatic scent of the gold-coloured Champac is thought offensive to the bees, who are never seen on its blossoms; but their elegant appearance on the black hair of the Indian women is mentioned by Rumphius; and both facts have supplied the Sanscrit poets with elegant allusions."

From Project Gutenberg

The Peyoo awoke to warble forth his song, and the fire-flies were just visible, as they flitted under the shade of the Champac trees.

From Project Gutenberg