cymene

American  

[sahy-meen] / ˈsaɪ min /

noun

1. a colorless, pleasant-smelling benzene derivative, C 10 H 14 , occurring in the volatile oil of the common cumin, Cuminum cyminum, and existing in three forms, the ortho, meta, and para isomers.

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cymene British  

/ ˈsaɪmiːn /

noun

1. a colourless insoluble liquid with an aromatic odour that exists in three isomeric forms; methylpropylbenzene: used as solvents and for making synthetic resins. The para- isomer is present in several essential oils. Formula: CH 3 C 6 H 4 CH(CH 3 ) 2

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Etymology

Origin of cymene

1860–65; < Greek kým ( īnon ) cumin + -ene

Example Sentences

The fact that rosin spirit yields a different cymene is, he considers, an argument against the view which has more than once been put forward, that rosin is directly derived from terpene.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 275, April 9, 1881 by Various

They yield from 3 to 6% of a volatile oil, the chief constituent of which is cymene aldehyde.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 3 "Capefigue" to "Carneades" by Various

Besides a cymene and a toluene, which have already been shown to exist in rosin spirit, metaxylene was found to be present.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 275, April 9, 1881 by Various

Finally, Dr Armstrong mentioned that the volatile portion of the distillate from the non-volatile product of the oxidation of oil of turpentine in moist air furnishes ordinary cymene when treated in the manner above described.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 275, April 9, 1881 by Various

In addition to the phenols, thymol or carvacrol, these oils contain cymene, thymene and pinene.

From The Handbook of Soap Manufacture by Simmons, W. H.