aniline

A1N1I1L1I1N1E1
/ˈæ.nɪ.liːn/

noun

The simplest aromatic amine, C₆H₅NH₂, synthesized by the reduction of nitrobenzene; it is a colourless oily basic poisonous liquid used in the manufacture of dyes and pharmaceuticals.

Similar
aminobenzenephenylamineaniline oilaminobenzine
OriginGerman Anilin ← Portuguese anil ← Arabic نِيل (nīl) →
UncommonScrabble 7
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Meanings

nounaniline (countable and uncountable, plural anilines)

plural anilines

  1. countableuncountablechemistryThe simplest aromatic amine, C₆H₅NH₂, synthesized by the reduction of nitrobenzene; it is a colourless oily basic poisonous liquid used in the manufacture of dyes and pharmaceuticals.

    The page was indeed still damp and the scent of fresh aniline dye flooded Millie with euphoria. It was perhaps her favorite smell.

    2020, Louise Erdrich, The Night Watchman, Corsair (2021), page 365

    Synonyms: aminobenzene, phenylamine

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe simplest aromatic amine, C₆H₅NH₂, synthesized by the reduction of nitrobenzene; it is a colourless oily basic poisonous liquid used in the manufacture of dyes and pharmaceuticals.

Similar
aminobenzenephenylamine

More synonyms by meaning

nounoily poisonous liquid amine obtained from nitrobenzene and used to make dyes and plastics and medicines

Similar
aniline oilaminobenzinephenylamine
Broader
amineaminoalkane
Also see
aminobenzenebenzeneamine

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*neyH-der.?
  2. Sanskritनील॑ (nī́la)
  3. Middle Persian𐭭𐭩𐭫 (nīl)
  4. Arabicنِيل (nīl)
  5. Portugueseanil
  6. GermanAnilin
  7. Englishaniline

Borrowed from German Anilin, coined by German chemist Carl Julius Fritzsche. From Portuguese anil (“indigo”) + -in (“-ine (organic compounds)”).

More words from German, Portuguese

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan anilina
  • anilinathe simplest aromatic amine
Chinese Mandarin 苯胺
  • 苯胺 (běn'àn)the simplest aromatic amine
Czech anilin
  • anilinthe simplest aromatic amine
Finnish aniliini
  • aniliinithe simplest aromatic amine
French aniline
  • anilinethe simplest aromatic amine
German Anilin
  • Anilinthe simplest aromatic amine
Greek ανιλίνη
  • ανιλίνη (anilíni)the simplest aromatic amine
Hungarian anilin
  • anilinthe simplest aromatic amine
Indonesian anilina
  • anilinathe simplest aromatic amine
Irish anailín
  • anailínthe simplest aromatic amine
Italian anilina
  • anilinathe simplest aromatic amine
Polish aminobenzen, anilina
  • aminobenzenthe simplest aromatic amine
  • anilinathe simplest aromatic amine
Portuguese anilina
  • anilinathe simplest aromatic amine
Romanian anilină
  • anilinăthe simplest aromatic amine
Russian анили́н
  • анили́н (anilín)the simplest aromatic amine
Spanish anilina
  • anilinathe simplest aromatic amine
Swedish anilin
  • anilinthe simplest aromatic amine
Cite this entry
APA

aniline. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/aniline

MLA

“aniline.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/aniline. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “aniline,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/aniline.

Source: aniline on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.