benzene
n.n. a chemical substance that is a colorless liquid with a sweet smell. It is used to make plastics and other materials but is very dangerous for your health.
n. an aromatic hydrocarbon consisting of six carbon atoms joined in a ring. It is a volatile, flammable liquid used as a solvent and in the production of synthetic fibers and plastics.
Workers must wear protective gear when handling benzene.
The factory was fined for leaking benzene into the local river, which posed a serious health risk to nearby residents.
While benzene is a critical intermediate in the petrochemical industry, its high toxicity necessitates stringent safety protocols to prevent long-term exposure and environmental contamination.
A technical term in chemistry, adopted in English in 1835 as benzine (benzene from 1872), from German Benzin, which was coined in 1833 by Eilhardt Mitscherlich based on Benzoesäure (“benzoic acid”), plus the technical ending -ene (German -in) denoting hydrocarbons. The adjective benzoic is in turn from benzoin, originally a term for a balsamic resin from Middle French benjoin, from Spanish benjuí, Portuguese beijoim, Italian benzoe, probably, from Arabic لُبَان جَاوِيّ (lubān jāwiyy, “Javanese frankincense”). Not related to German Benz (surname).