Pronunciation: [sˈuːɪnt] (IPA) 
Suint, pronounced as /swɪnt/ or "s-wint", refers to the grease or oily substance produced by the sweat glands of sheep. The word is believed to have originated from the Old Norse term "svint", which means sheep's sweat. The spelling of suint can be tricky, as it ends with a silent "t", making it easy to forget to include. However, this final "t" is still important, as it distinguishes suint from the similar-sounding "suing".
Suint is a noun used to describe a greasy, waxy substance that is naturally produced by the skin of sheep or other wool-bearing animals. This substance is secreted by special glands located within the animal's skin and serves as a protective coating for their wool. Suint is primarily composed of fatty acids, salts, and other organic matter, which accumulate on the surface of the animal's fleece.
In the context of wool processing, suint plays a significant role. When the wool is collected from the animals, it retains a considerable amount of suint, which needs to be removed during the cleaning and scouring process. Suint can cause the wool to have an unpleasant odor and may contain impurities that impact the quality of the fiber.
In traditional wool production, suint is often utilized for its lanolin content. Lanolin is a natural wax found in suint, which has moisturizing and protective properties. It is extracted from suint and used in various applications, including in the production of soaps, cosmetics, and ointments.
Suint also has historical relevance as it played a part in the production of "suint-milled" cloth. Suint, together with water and mechanical agitation, was used to clean and soften woolen fabric, resulting in a more desirable texture. This technique was commonly employed in the textile industry before the advent of modern scouring methods.
Overall, suint is a naturally occurring substance secreted by wool-bearing animals that requires removal during wool processing, but also holds value for its lanolin content and historical applications in the textile industry.
The natural grease in wool, a mixture of a soluble soap and insoluble fatty matter, from which the official adeps lanae is extracted.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The word "suint" has its etymology from the Old French term "seint", which was used to refer to the natural grease or sweat on sheep's wool. This Old French term, in turn, was derived from the Latin word "sucus", meaning juice or sap. Over time, "seint" gradually evolved into "suint" in English, retaining its original meaning of the fatty substance found on sheep's wool.
