Benzanilide

/ˌbɛnzˈænɪlaɪd/ noun

Definition

A white crystalline compound formed by the reaction of benzoyl chloride with aniline, used in organic chemistry and as a precursor for other compounds.

Etymology

From 'benzoyl' (benzoic acid group) + 'aniline' (phenylamine). The '-ide' suffix indicates a chemical compound. This term became standard in organic chemistry during the development of synthetic dyes and pharmaceuticals in the 1800s.

Kelly Says

Benzanilide was one of the earliest compounds chemists used to understand how organic molecules bond together—it's a classic 'test case' compound still used in chemistry education today.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.