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

The tonka bean’s robust scent comes from the presence of coumarin, a naturally occurring organic compound that’s also found in Cassia cinnamon and some licorice roots.

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

Q: I’ve just bought a pound of Ceylon cinnamon, since that is supposed to have the least coumarin and be best for lowering blood sugar.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 1, 2021

Those not included are as follows:—Amyl-nitrate and nitrite, methylene-di-methyl ether, ethidene-diethyl ether, amyl-chloracetate, nitro-benzene and di-nitro-benzene, coumarin, camphor, glacial acetic acid, and mono-, di-, and tri-acetin.

From Nitro-Explosives: A Practical Treatise by Sanford, P. Gerald (Percy Gerald)