furan

[fyoo r-an, fyoo-ran]

noun

a colorless, liquid, unsaturated, five-membered heterocyclic compound, C4H4O, obtained from furfural: used chiefly in organic synthesis.

Origin of furan

First recorded in 1890–95; aphetic form of furfuran

Also called furfuran.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

British Dictionary definitions for furan

furan

noun

a colourless flammable toxic liquid heterocyclic compound, used in the manufacture of cotton textiles and in the synthesis of nylon. Formula: C 4 H 4 OAlso called: furfuran

Word Origin for furan

C19: shortened form of furfuran, from furfur

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

furan in Medicine

furan

[fyur′ăn′, fyu-răn′]

Any of a group of colorless, volatile, heterocyclic organic compounds containing a ring of four carbon atoms and one oxygen atom, used in the synthesis of organics.

furan in Science

furan

[fyur′ăn′, fyu-răn′]

Any of a group of colorless, volatile, organic compounds containing a ring of four carbon atoms and one oxygen atom. Furans are obtained from wood oils and used in the synthesis of many organic compounds.
The simplest such compound, consisting of a furan ring with two double bonds and attached to four hydrogen atoms. Chemical formula: C4H4O.