terphenyl

noun

ter·​phenyl

¦tər+

: any of three isomeric crystalline hydrocarbons C₆H₅C₆H₄C₆H₅ that contain three benzene rings linked in ortho, meta, and para positions, that are obtained usually along with biphenyl from benzene, and that are used chiefly as industrial heat transfer media

also : a mixture of two or all three of these hydrocarbons

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary ter- + phenyl

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