pyrene

¹

[ pahy-reen, pahy-reen ]

noun

, Botany.

1. a putamen or stone, especially when there are several in a single fruit; a nutlet.

pyrene

²

[ pahy-reen ]

noun

, Chemistry.

1. a polycyclic, aromatic crystalline hydrocarbon, C 1 6 H 1 0 , consisting of four fused benzene rings, found in coal tar and believed to be carcinogenic.

pyrene

¹

/ ˈpaɪriːn /

noun

1. botany any of several small hard stones that occur in a single fruit and contain a single seed each

pyrene

²

/ ˈpaɪriːn /

noun

1. a solid polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon extracted from coal tar. Formula: C 16 H 10

Word History and Origins

Origin of pyrene¹

1830–40; < New Latin pȳrēna < Greek pȳrḗn fruit stone

Origin of pyrene²

First recorded in 1880–85; pyr- + -ene

Word History and Origins

Origin of pyrene¹

C19: from New Latin pyrena, from Greek purēn

Origin of pyrene²

C19: from pyro- + -ene