Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
dimethylbenzene

dimethylbenzene

1 8.6
A colorless, flammable chemical called xylene that people use to dissolve other things and to make plastics
  • noun
  • /ˌdaɪˈmɛθəlˈbɛnziːn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : dimetilbenceno
  • The laboratory used dimethylbenzene as a solvent in the experiment.

Examples

  • Paint thinners often contain dimethylbenzene because it dissolves many substances easily.

  • Workers must wear protective equipment when handling dimethylbenzene due to its strong fumes.

  • The laboratory used dimethylbenzene as a solvent.

  • Many industries rely on dimethylbenzene for various applications.

  • The compound dimethylbenzene is commonly used as a solvent in various industrial applications.

  • The laboratory utilized dimethylbenzene for synthesizing new chemical compounds.

  • Many paints and coatings contain dimethylbenzene as a key ingredient.

Synonyms

xylene
vsdimethylbenzene
  • Specialized
3 9.9

A clear liquid that can catch fire and is used to dissolve paints and glue

specifies the chemical's two methyl groups and its use in producing plastics

Surface Forms

dimethylbenzene singular
dimethylbenzenes plural

Morphology

dimethylbenzene = methylbenzene (semi-transparent) = di + methyl + benzene

The name transparently encodes 'two methyl groups on a benzene ring' but requires domain-specific chemical knowledge of 'methyl' and 'benzene' and the numeric prefix 'di' to be understood by learners.

Etymology

The word dimethylbenzene is made of three parts: di- meaning 'two', methyl meaning a small chemical group, and benzene meaning a ring-shaped part found in many chemicals. So the name literally says a benzene ring with two methyl groups, which is why this chemical (also called xylene) has that structure and is used as a solvent.