Carbocycle

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A closed ring structure made entirely of carbon atoms, forming the core framework of many organic compounds
2. A chain of carbon atoms joined end to end into a loop, found in many natural and synthetic organic molecules
3. An organic ring whose skeleton consists solely of carbon, a common feature of hydrocarbons and many drug molecules

Etymology: "Carbocycle" is a plain technical compound, built from "carbo-" joined to "cycle." The first part, "carbo-," comes from Latin "carbo," meaning charcoal or coal, and reached English through the French "carbone" and the scientific term "carbon" for the chemical element. Chemists use the prefix "carbo-" to mark a connection with carbon atoms. The second part traces much further back. "Cycle" descends from Ancient Greek "kuklos," meaning circle or wheel, which passed into Late Latin as "cyclus" and then into Middle English as "cicle." Its sense of a closed loop or round of events is what makes it fit a ring of atoms, so a carbocycle is literally a carbon circle.

Synonyms: carbocyclic ring, carbon ring