maltha

noun

mal·​tha

ˈmalthə

variants or less commonly malthite

-ˌthīt

plural -s

: a black viscid substance intermediate between petroleum and asphalt

called also earth pitch, mineral tar

Word History

Etymology

maltha from Latin, soft mixture of wax and pitch, from Greek maltha, malthē; akin to Greek malthakos soft; malthite from maltha + -ite

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