waxes
|wax-es|
/wæks/
(wax)
substance for polishing
Etymology
'wax' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'weax', where 'weax' meant 'a substance produced by bees (bee's wax)'.
'wax' changed from Old English 'weax' (and Old English verb 'weaxan' meaning 'to grow') into Middle English 'wax' and eventually became the modern English word 'wax'.
Initially, it meant 'the substance produced by bees' (or the verb 'to grow' from a related root), but over time it developed both the modern noun sense referring to wax materials and the verb senses 'to grow/increase' and 'to apply wax'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'wax': substances (natural or synthetic) used for polishing, sealing, or as a component (e.g., beeswax, paraffin); or various types of wax products.
Different waxes are used for candle-making and for car detailing.
Synonyms
Verb 1
to increase in size, number, strength, or intensity (intransitive); commonly used of the moon: to grow toward fullness.
Each month the moon waxes until it becomes full.
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Verb 2
to apply wax to (a surface) in order to polish, protect, or make it slippery (transitive).
Every Saturday she waxes the wooden floor to keep it shiny.
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Last updated: 2026/01/04 02:08