orcinol

[ awr-suh-nawl, -nol ]

nounChemistry.
  1. a white, crystalline, water-soluble solid, C7H8O2, sweet but unpleasant in taste, that reddens on exposure to air: obtained from many lichens or produced synthetically and used chiefly as a reagent for certain carbohydrates.

Origin of orcinol

1
1875–80; <New Latin orcin(a) (<Italian orcelloorchil, by alteration) + -ol2
  • Also or·cin [awr-sin]. /ˈɔr sɪn/.

Words Nearby orcinol

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British Dictionary definitions for orcinol

orcinol

orcin (ˈɔːsɪn)

/ (ˈɔːsɪˌnɒl) /


noun
  1. a colourless crystalline water-soluble solid that occurs in many lichens and from which the dyes found in litmus are derived. Formula: CH 3 C 6 H 3 (OH) 2

Origin of orcinol

1
C20: from New Latin orcina, from Italian orcello orchil

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