furfural

American  

[fur-fyuh-ral, -fuh-] / ˈfɜr fyəˌræl, -fə- /

noun

1. a colorless, oily liquid, C 5 H 4 O 2 , having an aromatic odor, obtained from bran, sugar, wood, corncobs, or the like, by distillation: used chiefly in the manufacture of plastics and as a solvent in the refining of lubricating oils.

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furfural Scientific  

/ fûr′fə-răl′ /

1. A colorless, sweet-smelling, liquid made from corncobs and used as a solvent in petroleum refining and as a fungicide and weed killer. It turns reddish brown when exposed to air and light. Furfural is an aldehyde of furan. Chemical formula: C ₅ H ₄ O ₂ .

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Etymology

Origin of furfural

1875–80; < Latin furfur bran + -al ³

Example Sentences

If a book smells chocolatey, it’s likely that it is releasing vanillin, benzaldehyde and furfural – three chemicals associated with the degradation of the cellulose and lignin in paper.

From The Guardian • Apr. 7, 2017

In fact, says Strlič, the smell is due to the release of chemicals such as furfural and hexanol as the paper itself decays.

From The Guardian • Apr. 7, 2017

The University of Colorado's Richard Doty conducted more than 100,000 sniff tests to determine changes in the ability of volunteers to detect a chemical called furfural, a scent found in cloves and cinnamon.

From Time Magazine Archive

The hull is used to make furfural, a chemical resembling formaldehyde.

From Time Magazine Archive

The distillates were collected in successive fractions, and the furfural and volatile acid determined.

From Researches on Cellulose 1895-1900 by Cross, C. F.