vanillin

noun van·il·lin \ ˈva-nə-lən \

|Updated on: 17 Jul 2018

Definition of vanillin

: a crystalline phenolic aldehyde C₈H₈O₃ that is extracted from vanilla beans or prepared synthetically and is used especially in flavoring and in perfumery

Recent Examples of vanillin from the Web

That list of chemicals includes creosol (associated with the smoky peat flavor of Scotch whisky), syringol (responsible for clovelike flavors), and vanillin (source of a vanilla-ish sweetness in smoke).

— steven raichlen, New York Times, "Grilling Turns Back to an Ancient Fuel: Wood," 29 June 2018
Though Firmenich also supplies synthetic and natural vanillin flavors derived from clove, cinnamon and wood, real vanilla is a luxury that needs to be preserved at the source, says Ghostine.

— aryn baker/sahabevava, Time, "Vanilla Is Nearly as Expensive as Silver. That Spells Trouble for Madagascar," 13 June 2018
One flavorant, ethyl vanillin – for vanilla notes – decreased free radical production by 42 percent.

— rita giordano, Philly.com, "How safe is the flavor you're vaping?," 17 Apr. 2018
Ingredients include water, maltitol, cocoa, celluose gum, caramel color, natural and artificial flavor, vanillin and salt.

— atlanta life, ajc, "Where can I find it?," 4 Apr. 2018
In 2014, the group approached Nestlé requesting a statement regarding the use of synbio vanillin in its Häagen-Dazs ice cream.

— david ferry, Newsweek, "The Promises and Perils of Synthetic Biology," 11 Mar. 2015
The ingredients listed on the packaging are: unbleached enriched flour, sugar, palm and/or canola oil, cocoa, high fructose corn syrup, leavening, corn starch, salt, soy lecithin, vanillin, and unsweetened chocolate.

— jamie ballard, Good Housekeeping, "The Great Cookie Debate: Are Oreos Vegan or Not?," 15 Feb. 2018
So much sulfur made it into the stratosphere that sulfuric acid as strong as battery acid rained across the planet, indicated by traces of vanillin in fossil soils from that time.

— howard lee, Ars Technica, "When will the Earth try to kill us again?," 9 Nov. 2017
Queeny’s coal-tar drug company, Monsanto, was also flush from lucrative contracts with Coca-Cola, who bought their caffeine, vanillin, and saccharin.

— rebecca altman, The Atlantic, "How the Benzene Tree Polluted the World," 4 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vanillin.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of vanillin

borrowed from French vanilline, from vanille ¹vanilla + -ine ¹-in

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1868

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

Medical Dictionary

vanillin

noun van·il·lin \ ˈvan-ᵊl-ən \

medical Definition of vanillin

: a crystalline phenolic aldehyde C₈H₈O₃ that is prepared synthetically or is obtained as the chief fragrant component of vanilla extracted from vanilla beans and that is used especially in flavoring and in perfumery