pyrene

P3Y4R1E1N1E1
/paɪˈɹiːni/

noun

A polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon containing four fused benzene rings; first isolated from coal tar

Less commonScrabble 11

Meanings

pyrene1

nounpyrene (plural pyrenes)

plural pyrenes

  1. chemistryA polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon containing four fused benzene rings; first isolated from coal tar

pyrene2

nounpyrene (plural pyrenes)

plural pyrenes

  1. alternativebiologyAlternative form of pyrena.

Pyrene3

proper noun
  1. GreekRomanhuman sciencesA daughter of King Bebryx who was loved or violated by Heracles; after fleeing into the wilderness and dying, she was buried by him, and the Pyrenees were said to be named after her.
  2. obsoleteThe Pyrenees.

    The Pyrene (Πυρήνη) or Pyrenaei Montes were the boundary between Gallia and Iberia […]

    1878, William Smith, A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, volume 1, page 949
    2 more examples

    The power of the Kings more abſolute, than in moſt other kingdomes, their territories very large; for the Kings of England, beſide Ireland, have commanded from the Iſles of Orkenay, to the Pyrene Mountains, and are de jure,Kings of all France by deſcent.

    1636, William Camden, “Britaine”, in Remaines Concerning Britaine, London: […] Thomas Harper, for John Waterſon, page 4

    Again it is from the Pyrene, which is a mountain towards the equinoctial setting (i.e. due west) in Celtica, that both the Istrus and the Tartessus flow; […]

    1879, Edward Herbert Bunbury, A History of Ancient Geography Among the Greeks and Romans, volume 1, page 399

Synonyms & antonyms

Origin

pyrene · noun

  1. Ancient Greekπῡρήν“fruit-stone”
  2. Englishpyrene

From Ancient Greek πῡρήν (pūrḗn, “fruit-stone”).

Full word history & related roots →

Pyrene · proper noun

  1. Ancient GreekΠυρήνη
  2. LatinPȳrēnē
  3. EnglishPyrene

Borrowed from Latin Pȳrēnē, from Ancient Greek Πυρήνη (Purḗnē).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian пире́н
  • пире́н (pirén)hydrocarbon
Catalan pirè
  • pirèhydrocarbon
Chinese Mandarin 芘
  • 芘 (bǐ)hydrocarbon
Finnish pyreeni
  • pyreenihydrocarbon
French pyrène, Pyrène
  • pyrènehydrocarbon
  • Pyrènedaughter of Bebryx
Italian pirene
  • pirenehydrocarbon
Latin Pȳrēnē
  • Pȳrēnēdaughter of Bebryx
Spanish pireno
  • pirenohydrocarbon

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with pyrene

All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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