furan
[ fyoo r-an, fyoo-ran ]
/ ˈfyʊər æn, fyʊˈræn /
noun
a colorless, liquid, unsaturated, five-membered heterocyclic compound, C4H4O, obtained from furfural: used chiefly in organic synthesis.
Also called
furfuran.
Origin of furan
First recorded in 1890–95; aphetic form of
furfuran
Words nearby furan
fur farm,
fur seal,
fur seal islands,
fur.,
furaldehyde,
furan,
furanose,
furazolidone,
furbearer,
furbelow,
furbish
British Dictionary definitions for furan
furan
/ (ˈfjʊəræn, fjʊəˈræn) /
noun
a colourless flammable toxic liquid heterocyclic compound, used in the manufacture of cotton textiles and in the synthesis of nylon. Formula: C 4 H 4 O
Also called: furfuran
Word Origin for furan
C19: shortened form of
furfuran, from
furfur
Medical definitions for furan
furan
[ fyur′ăn′, fyu-răn′ ]
n.
Any of a group of colorless, volatile, heterocyclic organic compounds containing a ring of four carbon atoms and one oxygen atom, used in the synthesis of organics.
Scientific definitions for furan
furan
[ fyur′ăn′, fyu-răn′ ]
Any of a group of colorless, volatile, organic compounds containing a ring of four carbon atoms and one oxygen atom. Furans are obtained from wood oils and used in the synthesis of many organic compounds.
The simplest such compound, consisting of a furan ring with two double bonds and attached to four hydrogen atoms. Chemical formula: C4H4O.