ben·zo·in1
Audio Help [ben-zoh-in, -zoin, ben-zoh-in] Pronunciation Key
Audio Help [ben-zoh-in, -zoin, ben-zoh-in] Pronunciation Key –noun
| 1. | Also called gum benjamin, gum benzoin. a reddish-brown, aromatic balsamic resin occurring in almondlike fragments and having a vanillalike odor, obtained from trees of the genus Styrax, esp. S. benzoin, of Java, Sumatra, etc.: used in the manufacture of perfume and cosmetics and in medicine internally as an expectorant and externally as an antiseptic. |
| 2. | Also called benjamin, benjamin-bush. any plant belonging to the genus Lindera (Benzoin), of the laurel family, including the spicebush and similar aromatic plants. |
[Origin: 1550–60; earlier benjoin < MF < Pg beijoim and Sp benjuí < Ar lubān jāwī frankincense of Java (lu- prob. constructed as the definite article); z of benzoin < It benzoi ≪ Ar
]
] | Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006. |
Benzoin
To learn more about Benzoin visit Britannica.com
| © 2008 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. |
ben·zo·in2
Audio Help [ben-zoh-in, -zoin, ben-zoh-in] Pronunciation Key
Audio Help [ben-zoh-in, -zoin, ben-zoh-in] Pronunciation Key –noun Chemistry.
| a white, slightly water-soluble powder, C14H12O2, derived by the condensation of benzaldehyde in the presence of potassium cyanide, and used in organic synthesis. |
| Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006. |
| ben·zo·in
Audio Help (běn'zō-ĭn, -zoin') Pronunciation Key
n.
[Earlier benjoin, from French benjoin and Italian benzoino, both from Arabic lubān jāwī, frankincense of Java; see lbn in Semitic roots.] |
| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
benzoin
1558, from M.Fr. benjoin, via Sp., Port, or It., from Ar. luban jawi "incense of Java" (actually Sumatra), with lu probably mistaken in Romance languages for a definite article. The Eng. form with -z- is perhaps from influence of It. benzoi (Venetian, 1461).
| Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper |
| benzoin | |
noun | |
| 1. | gum resin used especially in treating skin irritation |
| 2. | used in some classifications for the American spicebush and certain other plants often included in the genus Lindera |
| WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University. |
benzoin
Audio Help (běn'zō-ĭn, -zoin') Pronunciation Key
|
| The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2002 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
Main Entry: ben·zo·in
Pronunciation: 'ben-z&-w&n, -"wEn; -"zoin
Function: noun
1 : a hard fragrant yellowish balsamic resinfrom trees (genus Styrax of the family Styracaceae) of southeastern Asia used especially as an expectorant and topically to relieve skin irritations
2 : a white crystallinehydroxy ketone C14H12O2 made from benzaldehyde
3 : a tree yielding benzoin
| Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc. |
Benzoin
Ben"ja*min\, n. [Corrupted from benzoin.] See Benzoin.| Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. |
benzoin
benzoin: in CancerWEB's On-line Medical Dictionary
| On-line Medical Dictionary, © 1997-98 Academic Medical Publishing & CancerWEB |
View results from: Dictionary | Thesaurus | Encyclopedia | All Reference | the Web
Perform a new search, or try your search for "Benzoin" at:
- Amazon.com - Shop for books, music and more
- Reference.com - Encyclopedia Search
- Reference.com - Web Search powered by Ask.com
- Thesaurus.com - Search for synonyms and antonyms













