phenol
UK[ˈfiːnɒl]US[ˈfiːnɑːl]
n
A poisonous white crystalline compound with a distinctive smell, obtained from coal tar and used as a disinfectant and in the manufacture of plastics, pharmaceuticals, and other chemicals.
n
Any of a class of acidic organic compounds with one or more hydroxyl groups attached directly to a benzene ring.
Morpheme Breakdown
phen
ol
phen
appearance, show
ol
chemical suffix for alcohol
Etymology
The word 'phenol' is a modern chemical term coined in the 19th century. Its first element, 'phen-', is derived from the Greek root meaning 'to show' or 'to shine', which was applied to 'benzene' because the compound was first isolated from illuminating gas (coal gas). The suffix '-ol' is the standard chemical designation for an alcohol, signifying the hydroxyl functional group. Thus, 'phenol' literally means "the alcohol derived from benzene (illuminating gas)," connecting the ancient concept of light or appearance to its specific molecular structure discovered in the industrial age.
Analysis
Structure: phen (appearance, show) + ol (chemical suffix for alcohol)
- phen: From Greek phaino- (to show, to bring to light), via French phène (benzene). In chemistry, it denotes a relation to benzene.
- ol: A suffix in International Scientific Vocabulary, from alcohol, indicating the presence of a hydroxyl group (-OH).
Examples
Phenol was one of the first antiseptics used by surgeons like Joseph Lister.
The chemical plant had strict protocols for handling phenol due to its toxicity.
The structure of phenol features a hydroxyl group bonded directly to a benzene ring.