xanthene

noun

xan·​thene ˈzan-ˌthēn How to pronounce xanthene (audio)
1
: a white crystalline heterocyclic compound C13H10O
also : an isomer of this that is the parent of the colored forms of the xanthene dyes
2
: any of various derivatives of xanthene

Word History

Etymology

probably borrowed from German Xanthen, from Greek xanthós "yellow" + -en -ene — more at xantho-

First Known Use

1898, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of xanthene was in 1898

Phrases Containing xanthene

Dictionary Entries Near xanthene

xanthation

xanthene

xanthene dye

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Xanthene.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/xanthene. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

Medical Definition

xanthene

noun
xan·​thene ˈzan-ˌthēn How to pronounce xanthene (audio)
1
: a white crystalline heterocyclic compound C13H10O
also : an isomer of this that is the parent of the colored forms of the xanthene dyes
2
: any of various derivatives of xanthene

More from Merriam-Webster on xanthene

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about xanthene

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

9 Superb Owl Words

15 Words That Used to Mean Something Different
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
little chihuahua dressing like a turkey for thanksgiving
Is That Gratitude or Attitude? A Thanksgiving Quiz Decide which words express gratitude and which gi...