formalin

American  

[fawr-muh-lin] / ˈfɔr mə lɪn /

noun

Chemistry.

1. a clear, colorless, aqueous solution of 40 percent formaldehyde.

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formalin British  

/ ˈfɔːməlɪn, ˈfɔːmɒl /

noun

1. a 40 per cent solution of formaldehyde in water, used as a disinfectant, preservative for biological specimens, etc

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Etymology

Origin of formalin

First recorded in 1890–95; formerly a trademark

Example Sentences

Invertebrates, however, were preserved using a wider range of liquids, including formalin, buffered solutions, or mixtures that contained additives such as glycerol.

From Science Daily • Mar. 5, 2026

First, the brain is preserved in formalin for two weeks.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 31, 2025

This was a challenge because the specimen had been preserved for too long in formalin, which destroys genetic material.

From Science Magazine • Sep. 21, 2023

The virus was grown in cells, and inactivated with formalin to make the “dead” virus stimulate an immune response without causing illness.

From Scientific American • Dec. 19, 2022

Horace thought of her now, gray and washed, the needles in her throat and the rubber formalin tubes hanging down from the ceiling.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck