Meanings
nounphenanthrene (countable and uncountable, plural phenanthrenes)
plural phenanthrenes
- countableuncountablechemistryA tricyclic aromatic hydrocarbon obtained from coal tar; used in the manufacture of dyes, pharmaceuticals and explosives; it is isomeric with anthracene.
Origin
- 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
- Englishphen(o)-
- Frenchanthracène
- Englishanthr(ac)ene
- Englishphenanthrene
From phen(o)- + anthr(ac)ene.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan fenantrè
- fenantrètricyclic aromatic hydrocarbon from coal tar
Chinese Cantonese 菲
- 菲 (fei¹)tricyclic aromatic hydrocarbon from coal tar
Chinese Mandarin 菲
- 菲 (fēi)tricyclic aromatic hydrocarbon from coal tar
Finnish fenantreeni
- fenantreenitricyclic aromatic hydrocarbon from coal tar
Italian fenantrene
- fenantrenetricyclic aromatic hydrocarbon from coal tar
Japanese フェナントレン
- フェナントレン (fenantoren)tricyclic aromatic hydrocarbon from coal tar
Korean 페난트렌
- 페난트렌 (penanteuren)tricyclic aromatic hydrocarbon from coal tar
Cite this entry
APA
phenanthrene. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/phenanthrene
MLA
“phenanthrene.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/phenanthrene. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “phenanthrene,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/phenanthrene.
Source: phenanthrene on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.