benzene

noun Chemistry.

1. a colorless, volatile, flammable, toxic, slightly water-soluble, liquid, aromatic compound, C6H6, obtained chiefly from coal tar: used in the manufacture of commercial and medicinal chemicals, dyes, and as a solvent for resins, fats, or the like.

noun

1. a colourless flammable toxic aromatic liquid used in the manufacture of styrene, phenol, etc, as a solvent for fats, resins, etc, and as an insecticide. Formula: C 6 H 6See also benzene ring

n.

1835, benzine, altered from German Benzin, coined in 1833 by German chemist Eilhardt Mitscherlich (1794-1863) from Benz(oesäure) “benzoic acid” + -ene (German -in), hydrocarbon suffix. Mitscherlich obtained it from a distillation of benzoic acid, obtained from benzoin. The form benzene dates from 1872 in English. In 19c. it also sometimes was called benzol. Faraday was first to discover the compound (in fish oil) and called it bicarburet of hydrogen.

n.

1. A clear, colorless, highly refractive flammable liquid derived from petroleum and used in or to manufacture a wide variety of chemical products, including DDT, insecticides, and motor fuels.benzine

1. A colorless flammable liquid derived from petroleum. Benzene is used to make detergents, insecticides, motor fuels, and many other chemical products. Chemical formula: C6H6. See more at benzene ring.