methylene

[ meth-uh-leen ]

adjective

, Chemistry.

1. containing the methylene group.

methylene

/ ˈmɛθɪˌliːn /

noun

1. modifier of, consisting of, or containing the divalent group of atoms =CH 2

   a methylene group or radical

methylene

/ mĕth′ə-lēn′ /

1. A bivalent hydrocarbon radical, CH 2 . Because it has two unshared electrons, it is extremely reactive and occurs only as an intermediate byproduct in chemical reactions. Methylene is a component of unsaturated hydrocarbons.

Word History and Origins

Origin of methylene¹

< French méthylène (coined in 1834), equivalent to Greek méth ( y ) wine ( mead ¹ ) + hýl ( ē ) wood + French -ène -ene, taken to mean “wood-spirits” ( vin ou liqueur spiritueuse du bois ), though elements of the compound are in the wrong order to give this sense

Word History and Origins

Origin of methylene¹

C19: from French méthylène, from Greek methu wine + hulē wood + -ene : originally referring to a substance distilled from wood

Example Sentences

The most promising of the methods which have been devised are cryoscopy, the methylene-blue test, and the phloridzin test.

From Project Gutenberg

The pseudoscientific synonym pheno-methylene-formate carries the idea that Pyo-Atoxin is a definite chemical substance.

From Project Gutenberg

Counterstain in methylene blue, aqueous solution thirty seconds.

From Project Gutenberg

Counterstain with Kuehne's carbolic methylene-blue for one or two minutes.

From Project Gutenberg

Stain carbolic methylene-blue, carbolic fuchsin, and Gram's method.

From Project Gutenberg