orcinol

[ awr-suh-nawl, -nol ]
/ ˈɔr səˌnɔl, -ˌnɒl /

noun Chemistry.

a white, crystalline, water-soluble solid, C7H8O2, sweet but unpleasant in taste, that reddens on exposure to air: obtained from many lichens or produced synthetically and used chiefly as a reagent for certain carbohydrates.
Also or·cin [awr-sin] /ˈɔr sɪn/.

Origin of orcinol

1875–80; < New Latin orcin(a) (< Italian orcello orchil, by alteration) + -ol2

British Dictionary definitions for orcinol

orcinol

orcin (ˈɔːsɪn)

/ (ˈɔːsɪˌnɒl) /

noun

a colourless crystalline water-soluble solid that occurs in many lichens and from which the dyes found in litmus are derived. Formula: CH 3 C 6 H 3 (OH) 2

Word Origin for orcinol

C20: from New Latin orcina, from Italian orcello orchil