pinene

American

[pahy-neen] / ˈpaɪ nin /

noun

Chemistry.

a liquid terpene, C 1 0 H 1 6 , the principal constituent of oil of turpentine, found in other essential oils: used chiefly in the manufacture of camphor.

pinene British

/ ˈpaɪniːn /

noun

either of two isomeric terpenes, found in many essential oils and constituting the main part of oil of turpentine. The commonest structural isomer ( α-pinene ) is used in the manufacture of camphor, solvents, plastics, and insecticides. Formula: C 10 H 16

"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

Etymology

Origin of pinene

First recorded in 1880–85; pine ¹ + -ene

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The result was a major jump in effectiveness, from about 70% mortality with insecticide alone to more than 95% when pinene was added.

From Science Daily • Apr. 20, 2026

"Without pinene, we got about 70% mortality. When we added it in, it was over 95%."

From Science Daily • Apr. 20, 2026

"We saw significant differences in the death rates using insecticide alone versus the insecticide plus pinene," said UCR entomologist Dong-Hwan Choe, who led the discovery.

From Science Daily • May 31, 2024

"Even at low concentrations, pinene is good at attracting termites from a distance," Choe said.

From Science Daily • May 31, 2024

Rosemary oil contains pinene, camphene, cineol, borneol, and camphor.

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

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023