fluorescein

F4L1U1O1R1E1S1C3E1I1N1

noun

Any of a class of yellow xanthene dyes which are visible when highly diluted; used forensically to detect traces of blood, and in analytical chemistry as an indicator in silver nitrate titrations

Similar
resorcinolphthaleinfluoresceinefluorescent dye
OriginEnglish fluoresce ← Middle English sparston ← Old English spærstān →
Less commonScrabble 16
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Meanings

nounfluorescein (plural fluoresceins)

plural fluoresceins · alternative fluoresceine

  1. chemistryAny of a class of yellow xanthene dyes which are visible when highly diluted; used forensically to detect traces of blood, and in analytical chemistry as an indicator in silver nitrate titrations

    Synonyms: resorcinolphthalein

Synonyms & antonyms

nounAny of a class of yellow xanthene dyes which are visible when highly diluted; used forensically to detect traces of blood, and in analytical chemistry as an indicator in silver nitrate titrations

Similar
resorcinolphthalein

More synonyms by meaning

nouna yellow dye that is visible even when highly diluted; used as an absorption indicator when silver nitrate solution is added to sodium chloride in order to precipitate silver chloride (turns pink when no chloride ions are left in solution and negative fluorescein ions are then absorbed)

Similar
fluoresceinefluorescent dyeresorcinolphthalein
Broader
dyedyestuffabsorption indicator
Also see
resorcinolphthalein

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*bʰel-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*bʰlewH-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*bʰluH-yé-ti?
  4. Latinfluō
  5. Latinfluor
  6. Englishfluor
  7. Englishfluorite
  8. Middle Low Germanspar
  9. Old Englishspærstān
  10. Middle Englishsparston
  11. Englishsparstonebf.
  12. Englishspar
  13. Englishfluorspar
  14. Englishfluorescencebf.
  15. Englishfluoresce
  16. Englishfluorescein

From fluoresce + -in.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan fluoresceïna
  • fluoresceïnaany of a class of yellow xanthene dyes which are visible when highly diluted
French fluorescéine
  • fluorescéineany of a class of yellow xanthene dyes which are visible when highly diluted
German Fluorescein
  • Fluoresceinany of a class of yellow xanthene dyes which are visible when highly diluted
Hungarian fluoreszcein
  • fluoreszceinany of a class of yellow xanthene dyes which are visible when highly diluted
Italian fluoresceina
  • fluoresceinaany of a class of yellow xanthene dyes which are visible when highly diluted
Romanian fluoresceină
  • fluoresceinăany of a class of yellow xanthene dyes which are visible when highly diluted
Spanish fluoresceína
  • fluoresceínaany of a class of yellow xanthene dyes which are visible when highly diluted
Cite this entry
APA

fluorescein. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fluorescein

MLA

“fluorescein.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fluorescein. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fluorescein,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fluorescein.

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