benzene Hear it!

benzene definition

ben·zene (benzēn, ben zēn)

noun

a clear, flammable, poisonous, aromatic liquid, CH, obtained by scrubbing coal gas with oil and by the fractional distillation of coal tar: it is used as a solvent and in making a vast number of derivatives used in plastics, insecticides, detergents, paints, dyes, etc.

Etymology: benz(oic) + -ene

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