benzene Hear it!

benzene definition

ben·zene (ben′zēn, 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

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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