biphenyl

noun

bi·​phe·​nyl (ˌ)bī-ˈfe-nᵊl How to pronounce biphenyl (audio) -ˈfē- How to pronounce biphenyl (audio)
: a white crystalline hydrocarbon C6H5·C6H5 used especially as a heat-transfer medium and in organic synthesis
also : a derivative of biphenyl

Examples of biphenyl in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Swann had financed the conversion of benzene into biphenyl, and now biphenyl into PCBs. Rebecca Altman, The Atlantic, 4 Oct. 2017

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1864, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of biphenyl was in 1864

Dictionary Entries Near biphenyl

Cite this Entry

“Biphenyl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biphenyl. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

biphenyl

noun
bi·​phe·​nyl (ˈ)bī-ˈfen-ᵊl How to pronounce biphenyl (audio) -ˈfēn- How to pronounce biphenyl (audio)
: a white crystalline hydrocarbon C6H5·C6H5

called also diphenyl

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