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

See Examples For:

formalin

Meanwhile, Salk’s injectable vaccine, which used formalin to inactivate the virus, was approved in 1955.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 21, 2026

The specimen was carefully preserved in alcohol and formalin before being shipped from the Galápagos to Chicago, where Voight examined it at the Field Museum.

From Science Daily ● May 25, 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

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