eugenol

noun

eu·​ge·​nol ˈyü-jə-ˌnȯl How to pronounce eugenol (audio) -ˌnōl How to pronounce eugenol (audio)
: a colorless aromatic liquid phenol C10H12O2 found especially in clove oil and used commercially in flavors and perfumes and in dentistry as an analgesic

Examples of eugenol in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This oil, with the active ingredient eugenol, can protect from mosquito bites for over 90 minutes at a 10% concentration in lotion. Hailey A. Luker, The Conversation, 10 July 2023 Spanish oak, according to master distiller Harlen Wheatley, has less vanilla and caramel flavors than American oak and more eugenol, a chemical compound that results in drier, spicier notes. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 18 June 2023 The salmon were immobilized by adding an anaesthetic (eugenol) and a muscle relaxant (gallamine) to their tank of water. Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 27 Jan. 2011 For instance, eugenol, one of the significantly abundant aromatic compounds found in bananas, smells spicy, like cinnamon [2,3]. Alice Chi Phung, Discover Magazine, 21 Oct. 2014 To replace a natural ingredient that traditionally has contained methyl eugenol, makers like Mane have to return to the raw materials, trying to find a new means of extraction whose result complies with the rules. Genevieve Fullan, Longreads, 12 Apr. 2022 Lather up with this bar of soap made with soy and canola oils and infused with the essential oils of cedar, eugenol, lemongrass, geranium, clove, mint, rosemary, and thyme. Rachel Ng, Outside Online, 14 Aug. 2021 Widening the pocket, for instance, increased its affinity for DEET, a larger molecule, while decreasing its affinity for eugenol, which may not have been able to fit as snugly due to its smaller size. Jordana Cepelewicz, Wired, 27 June 2021 That turned out to be a deep, geometrically simple pocket, lined with many amino acids that facilitate loose, weak interactions; eugenol and DEET took advantage of different interactions to lodge within it. Jordana Cepelewicz, Wired, 27 June 2021

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary eugen-, from New Latin Eugenia, genus of tropical trees

First Known Use

1886, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of eugenol was in 1886

Dictionary Entries Near eugenol

Cite this Entry

“Eugenol.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eugenol. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

eugenol

noun
eu·​ge·​nol ˈyü-jə-ˌnȯl How to pronounce eugenol (audio) -ˌnōl How to pronounce eugenol (audio)
: a colorless aromatic liquid phenol C10H12O2 found especially in clove oil and used in dentistry as an analgesic

More from Merriam-Webster on eugenol

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!