Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A colorless or pale yellow fragrant liquid, C10H12O2, found especially in clove oil and used as a dental analgesic and in perfumery and flavorings.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A colorless oily compound, contained in oil of cloves, oil of bay, oil of cinnamon-leaves, oil of allspice, oil of cassia, oil of pimento, and in certain other essential oils. It boils at 247.5° C. and has a spicy odor. Also called 1-propenylphendiol-3-methyl ether.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Chem.) A colorless, aromatic, liquid hydrocarbon, C10H12O2 resembling the phenols, and hence also called eugenic acid. It is found in the oils of pimento and cloves.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun chemistry The aromatic compound with chemical formula C10H12O2, an allyl chain-substituted guaiacol of the phenylpropanoids, found in essential oils such as clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[New Latin Eugenia, genus of the clove plant (after Eugene, Prince of Savoy (1663–1736), Austrian general) + –ol(e).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Eugenia, the clove genus, and -ol.

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Examples

  • Their distinctiveness results from a high content of the phenolic compound called eugenol, which has a unique aroma that is both somewhat sweet and very penetrating.

    On Food and Cooking, The Science and Lore of the Kitchen Harold McGee 2004

  • Their distinctiveness results from a high content of the phenolic compound called eugenol, which has a unique aroma that is both somewhat sweet and very penetrating.

    On Food and Cooking, The Science and Lore of the Kitchen Harold McGee 2004

  • Quieter drills and citrus-scented candles help mask the typical sounds and smells of dentistry; some practices have stopped using eugenol, the clove-scented antiseptic; others even bake cookies to introduce a soothing aroma.

    More Dentists Taking Pains to Win Back Fearful Patients Melinda Beck 2011

  • She douses another strip in eugenol, which smells of cloves.

    The Tastemaker in Her Flavor Factory Alexandra Alter 2011

  • For example, citronellol, been shown to be an antioxidant while geraniol and eugenol have antibacterial properties.

    Is Rose Oil Good for Your Skin? Anne-Marie 2007

  • For example, citronellol, been shown to be an antioxidant while geraniol and eugenol have antibacterial properties.

    Archive 2007-12-01 Anne-Marie 2007

  • Some young basil plants do contain methyl eugenol, it seems—they need it to protect themselves from insects.

    Delizia! John Dickie 2008

  • Scientists campaigning in support of using genetically modified organisms in agriculture cited research suggesting that basil plants below a height of about four inches contain a carcinogen, methyl eugenol.

    Delizia! John Dickie 2008

  • Other common lip balm ingredients to avoid are irritants like sopropyl myristate, eugenol, and phenol.

    Boing Boing: December 3, 2006 - December 9, 2006 Archives 2006

  • But basil is harvested after the methyl eugenol has gone, and in any case the carcinogenic effects have only been recorded in animals so far, and then after massive doses.

    Delizia! John Dickie 2008

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