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terpene

American

[tur-peen] / ˈtɜr pin /

noun

Chemistry.

(originally) any of a class of monocyclic hydrocarbons of the formula C 10 H 16 , obtained from plants.
this class or any of its oxygenated derivatives, any hydrocarbon from the same source having the formula C 5 H 8 hemiterpene, the formula C 10 H 16 with an aliphatic structure acyclic terpene or two-ringed structure bicyclic terpene, the formula C 15 H 24 sesquiterpene, etc., and any of their oxygenated derivatives.

terpene British

/ ˈtɜːpiːn /

noun

any one of a class of unsaturated hydrocarbons, such as the carotenes, that are found in the essential oils of many plants. Their molecules contain isoprene units and have the general formula (C 5 H 8 ) n

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

terpene Scientific

/ tûr′pēn′ /

Any of a class of hydrocarbons consisting of two or more isoprene (C ₅ H ₈) units joined together. Simple terpenes are found in the essential oils and resins of plants such as conifers. Turpentine, for example, is such an oil. More complex terpenes include vitamin A, carotenoid pigments (such as lycopene), squalene, and rubber. Terpenes are used in organic synthesis.

Other Word Forms

terpeneless adjective
terpenic adjective

Etymology

Origin of terpene

1865–70; alteration of terebene, with p from turpentine

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Males of the sandfly, Lutzomyia longipalpis, use terpene pheromones to lure females and other males to mating sites.

From Science Daily • Mar. 11, 2024

Wormwood contains a compound known as thujones, which is a terpene.

From Salon • Mar. 11, 2023

With a heavy limonene terpene profile, Super Lemon Haze pairs perfectly with fish, specifically salmon.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 1, 2021

After she crunched the Cultivation Classic numbers, Rae could not find strong correlations between any single terpene and the high that resulted.

From New York Times • Apr. 1, 2020

They are usually present in the plant oil in mixtures with each other or with a terpene.

From The Chemistry of Plant Life by Thatcher, Roscoe Wilfred

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023