Definition of "wax" []

• Any of various natural, oily or greasy heat-sensitive substances, consisting of hydrocarbons or esters of fatty acids that are insoluble in water but soluble in nonpolar organic solvents. (noun)
• Beeswax. (noun)
• Cerumen. (noun)
• A solid plastic or pliable liquid substance, such as ozocerite or paraffin, originating from petroleum and found in rock layers and used in paper coating, as insulation, in crayons, and often in medicinal preparations. (noun)
• A preparation containing wax used for polishing floors and other surfaces. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "When one of his friends suggested that the trouble might be wax in his ears, he shook his head sadly and said: "Oh no: not _wax_, but _wane_.""
• "The term wax pack came from the 70s / 80s when baseball cards came in wax packages (usually with some seriously stale gum)."
• "For vegans, candelilla wax is the preferred alternative since it is derived from a plant."