A hydrocarbon chemical compound related to naphthalene, consisting of fused carbon rings.
From co- + -fane (from Latin fanum, temple, used in chemistry for ring structures). This is a technical chemistry term created to name a specific molecular structure with fused aromatic rings.
Cofane is one of those words that exists almost entirely in chemistry textbooks and research papers—it's real but so specialized that most people never encounter it. It's a perfect example of how scientific naming conventions create precise terms for things the general public never needs to discuss.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.