Furfural

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A colorless and odorous liquid, this compound is produced from the hydrolysis of pentosans and serves as a solvent and precursor in chemical synthesis
2. Recognized for its volatile nature, this aromatic aldehyde is derived from agricultural byproducts and is significant in various industrial processes, particularly in the creation of resins
3. A clear, fragrant liquid obtained by processing certain plant materials, widely used as a chemical intermediate and solvent

Etymology: Furfural is a chemical whose name comes from bran. The Latin "furfur" meant "bran," the husky outer layer of grain, and chemists in the nineteenth century borrowed that root for a compound first obtained from the bran of cereals. The "-al" ending was clipped from "aldehyde," the family of chemicals to which it belongs, so the name is a plain coinage built from a classical root and a chemical suffix rather than an ancient word. The substance's modern importance comes from what it is made of. Because it is produced from plant materials rich in pentose sugars, such as corn cobs, oat hulls and sugarcane bagasse, it is a rare chemical that can be manufactured from agricultural waste. That makes it a useful feedstock for industry, especially for making resins, and it is the reason a name taken from bran still describes a product of the field.