Euflavine

/juːˈfleɪviːn/ noun

Definition

A yellow or orange antiseptic dye compound used historically as a disinfectant and in medical treatments.

Etymology

From Greek eu- (good, well) and Latin flavus (yellow), literally 'good yellow' or 'fine yellow,' describing its distinctive color and beneficial antiseptic properties.

Kelly Says

Euflavine was the bright yellow-orange dye that doctors used to paint on wounds before modern antibiotics—it actually worked as an antiseptic, and it stained everything yellow for weeks, which is probably why hospital gowns are still that particular shade.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

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