xylene
any of three oily, colorless, water-insoluble, flammable, toxic, isomeric liquids, C8H10, of the benzene series, obtained mostly from coal tar: used chiefly in the manufacture of dyes.
Origin of xylene
1- Also called dimethylbenzene.
- Also xy·lol [zahy-lawl, -lol]. /ˈzaɪ lɔl, -lɒl/.
Words Nearby xylene
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use xylene in a sentence
Apart from the softening point the pitch is all the more valued the more constituents it contains which are soluble in xylene.
The musk deer may now be saved from extinction since we can make tri-nitro-butyl-xylene from coal tar.
Creative Chemistry | Edwin E. SlossonSo is xylene, a chemical which will readily clean grease and fatty matter from the fingers.
The Science of Fingerprints | Federal Bureau of InvestigationThe fingers should be wiped very lightly with either soap and water or xylene, always following the ridge contours.
The Science of Fingerprints | Federal Bureau of InvestigationIf the substance dries too fast to permit proper photographing, the skin should be photographed while immersed in the xylene.
The Science of Fingerprints | Federal Bureau of Investigation
British Dictionary definitions for xylene
/ (ˈzaɪliːn) /
an aromatic hydrocarbon existing in three isomeric forms, all three being colourless flammable volatile liquids used as solvents and in the manufacture of synthetic resins, dyes, and insecticides; dimethylbenzene. Formula: C 6 H 4 (CH 3) 2: Also called: xylol
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
Scientific definitions for xylene
[ zī-lēn′, zī′lēn′ ]
A flammable hydrocarbon obtained from wood and coal tar. Xylene consists of a benzene ring with two methyl (CH3) groups attached, and occurs in three isomeric forms. It is used as a solvent, in jet fuel, and in the manufacture of dyes, fibers, perfumes, and films. Chemical formula: C8H10.
A mixture of xylene isomers used as a solvent in making lacquers and rubber cement and as an aviation fuel.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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