Coumaric

/kuːˈmɛrɪk/ adjective

Definition

Relating to or containing coumarin, a compound found in plants that smells sweet and is used in perfumes and flavorings.

Etymology

Derived from coumarin, which comes from 'cumaru,' the Tupi (Brazilian indigenous language) word for the tonka bean tree. The -ic suffix indicates an adjective form relating to the noun coumarin.

Kelly Says

Coumaric compounds are what make fresh-cut hay smell so amazing—that sweet vanilla-like scent is coumarin! Indigenous peoples in South America knew about tonka beans for centuries before chemists figured out why they smelled so good.

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