Meanings
nounbiphenyl (countable and uncountable, plural biphenyls)
plural biphenyls
- uncountablechemistryA colourless solid hydrocarbon, C₁₂H₁₀, consisting of two benzene rings linked together by a single bond.
- countablechemistryAny substituted or otherwise altered version of biphenyl, such as PCBs.
halogenated biphenyls
1 more example
Another environmental factor thought to be affecting some coastal birds, although comparatively little is yet known about its extent or origin, is the presence of marine pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and toxic heavy metals.
1986, Valerie M. Thom, “Coastal habitats”, in Birds in Scotland, London: T & AD Poyser, published 2011, →ISBN, page 25
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*dwóh₁
- Proto-Indo-European*dwi-
- Proto-Italic*dwi-
- Latinbi-
- Englishbi-
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰeh₂-
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰh₂nyéti
- Proto-Hellenic*pʰáňňō
- Ancient Greekφαίνω (phaínō)
- Frenchphéno-
- Proto-Indo-European*swel-der.?
- Ancient Greekῡ̔́λη (hū́lē)
- Frenchphényle
- Englishphenyl
- Englishbiphenyl
Translations
Catalan bifenil
- bifenilorganic compound
Chinese Mandarin 聯苯 /联苯
- 聯苯 /联苯 (liánběn)organic compound
Finnish bifenyyli
- bifenyyliorganic compound
French biphényle
- biphényleorganic compound
German Biphenyl
- Biphenylorganic compound
Hungarian bifenil
- bifenilorganic compound
Italian bifenile
- bifenileorganic compound
Japanese ビフェニル
- ビフェニル (bifeniru)organic compound
Polish bifenyl
- bifenylorganic compound
Spanish bifenilo
- bifeniloorganic compound
Cite this entry
APA
biphenyl. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/biphenyl
MLA
“biphenyl.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/biphenyl. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “biphenyl,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/biphenyl.
Source: biphenyl on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.