▸noun[mass noun]Chemistrya volatile white crystalline compound produced by the distillation of coal tar, used in mothballs and as a raw material for chemical manufacture.
A bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbon; chemical formula: C10H8.
– DERIVATIVES
naphthalic/nafˈθalɪk/adjective
– ORIGIN early 19th century: from naphtha + -ene, with the insertion of -l- for ease of pronunciation.
EnglishOxford Dictionary of English
