vanillin

noun

van·​il·​lin ˈva-nə-lən 

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

Examples of vanillin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And since each bean yields only 2 percent vanillin at best, the cost of pure vanilla is even higher. —Ligaya Mishan Melody Melamed, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2023

The blue-green background of this image is formed by a layer of sulfamic acid crystals, and the starbursts on top are crystallized synthetic vanillin, an artificial vanilla flavoring. —Joanna Thompson, Scientific American, 23 Mar. 2022

Evolva, a synthetic-biology company based in Switzerland, has a ten-year history of synthetic biology development and is now making profit with a vanillin-producing microorganism. —Luc Henry, Discover Magazine, 9 Sep. 2014

The vanillin in the vanilla extract sitting next to your flour, for example, isn’t causing any problems. —Leslie Nemo, Discover Magazine, 20 Feb. 2020

The distinct and lovely aromatic notes of maple come from wood byproducts like vanillin, other products of sucrose caramelization, and products of Maillard reactions between the plant sugars and the amino acids. —Elsbeth Sites, Discover Magazine, 1 Dec. 2015

However, curcumin from the health food store might also be synthesized directly from vanillin, which, in turn, is derived from wood pulp or from crude oil. —Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 5 Dec. 2022

But the lion’s share of the flavor and aroma comes from a compound named vanillin. —Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 21 Jan. 2022

That’s just the flavor compound vanillin crystallizing on the surface. —Paul Stephen, San Antonio Express-News, 13 Dec. 2021

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

circa 1868, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

vanillin

noun

van·​il·​lin ˈvan-ᵊl-ən 

: 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