pine tar

noun

: tar obtained by destructive distillation of pinewood and used especially in roofing and soaps and in the treatment of skin diseases

Examples of pine tar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

An umpire nullified a home run by Kansas City’s George Brett because Brett’s bat was coated in too much pine tar, which can improve a batter’s grip. —Richard Goldstein, New York Times, 11 Dec. 2024

Brett, ruled out, bolted from the dugout and charged umpires in what amounted to a viral moment circa 1983, but the Royals protested the game and AL president Lee MacPhail upheld the protest, ruling the pine tar on Brett’s bat didn’t violate the spirt of the rule. —Jerry Beach, Forbes, 5 Oct. 2024

Billy Martin, determined Brett’s bat had too much pine tar on it. —Jerry Beach, Forbes, 5 Oct. 2024

There won’t be pine tar arguments or hard slides over the next several days, but the first postseason clash between the Royals and Yankees in 44 years will have some familiar elements. —Jerry Beach, Forbes, 5 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1855, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

pine tar

noun

: tar obtained from pinewood and used especially in roofing and soaps and in the treatment of skin diseases

Medical Definition

pine tar

noun

: tar obtained from the wood of pine trees (genus Pinus and especially P. palustris) and used in soaps and in the treatment of skin diseases