rotenone
[ roht-n-ohn ]
/ ˈroʊt nˌoʊn /
noun Chemistry, Pharmacology.
a white, crystalline, water-insoluble, poisonous heterocyclic compound, C23H22O6, obtained from derris root: used chiefly as the active ingredient of certain insecticides and in medicine in the treatment of chiggers and scabies.
Origin of rotenone
1920–25;
roten- (said to be < Japanese) +
-one
Words nearby rotenone
rotavator,
rotavirus,
rotblat,
rote,
rote learning,
rotenone,
rotfl,
rotgut,
roth,
roth ira,
roth's spots
Example sentences from the Web for rotenone
British Dictionary definitions for rotenone
rotenone
/ (ˈrəʊtɪˌnəʊn) /
noun
a white odourless crystalline substance extracted from the roots of derris: a powerful insecticide. Formula: C 23 H 22 O 6; relative density: 1.27; melting pt: 163°C
Word Origin for rotenone
C20: from Japanese
rōten derris +
-one