Standard Lemma guide

xanthene

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˈzænθin/
  • homophone: xanthine
  • homophone: xanthein

1

noun

Meaning 1

Any of a group of tricyclic heterocycles (dibenzopyrans) that are the basis for a range of dyes such as fluorescein and eosin.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, organic-chemistry, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Internationalism reflecting New Latin combining forms: xanth- + -ene.

Across languages

Translations

11 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: xantè — chemistry: any of a group of tricyclic heterocycles
  • Chinese Cantonese: 氧雜蒽 /氧杂蒽 (joeng5 zaap6 jan1) — chemistry: any of a group of tricyclic heterocycles
  • Chinese Cantonese: 呫噸 /呫吨 (zim1 deon1) — chemistry: any of a group of tricyclic heterocycles
  • Chinese Mandarin: 氧雜蒽 /氧杂蒽 (yǎngzá'ēn) — chemistry: any of a group of tricyclic heterocycles
  • Chinese Mandarin: 呫噸 /呫吨 (zhāndūn) — chemistry: any of a group of tricyclic heterocycles
  • Finnish: ksanteeni — chemistry: any of a group of tricyclic heterocycles
  • Irish: xaintéin — chemistry: any of a group of tricyclic heterocycles
  • Japanese: キサンテン (kisanten) — chemistry: any of a group of tricyclic heterocycles
  • Korean: 잔텐 (janten) — chemistry: any of a group of tricyclic heterocycles
  • Korean: 크산텐 (keusanten) — chemistry: any of a group of tricyclic heterocycles
  • Portuguese: xanteno — chemistry: any of a group of tricyclic heterocycles