coumarin

American  

[koo-muh-rin] / ˈku mə rɪn /

Or cumarin

noun

1. a fragrant crystalline substance, C 9 H 6 O 2 , obtained from the tonka bean, sweet clover, and certain other plants or prepared synthetically, used chiefly in soaps and perfumery.

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coumarin British  

/ ˈkuːmərɪn /

noun

1. a white vanilla-scented crystalline ester, used in perfumes and flavourings and as an anticoagulant. Formula: C 9 H 6 O 2

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coumarin Scientific  

/ ko̅o̅′mər-ĭn /

1. A fragrant crystalline compound extracted from several plants, such as tonka beans and sweet clover, or produced synthetically. Coumarin and its derivatives are widely used in perfumes, as anticoagulants, and as rodenticides. Chemical formula: C ₉ H ₆ O ₂ .

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Other Word Forms

• coumaric
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of coumarin

1820–30; < French coumarine, equivalent to coumar ( ou ) tonka-bean tree (< Spanish cumarú < Portuguese < Tupi cumaru ) + -ine -in ²

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

coumarin

You’d need to eat 30 whole beans for the coumarin levels to cause liver failure.

From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2025

Alongside is a sidecar of vanilla-tonka bean maple syrup, heady with the almond-y, fresh-hay scent of coumarin — a naturally occurring chemical in the seeds of the kumaru tree.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2024

The team led by Prof. Tsogoeva at the Chair of Organic Chemistry I decided to combine artemisinin with bioactive coumarins because coumarin derivatives also possess anti-malaria properties.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 20, 2023

You are using the safest approach to medicinal use of this spice: You have chosen Ceylon cinnamon, which is naturally low in coumarin, and you are using a water extract.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 14, 2021

The flowers contain "coumarin," and their volatile pollen impregnates the atmosphere in early summer.

From Herbal Simples Approved for Modern Uses of Cure by Fernie, William Thomas