trinitrotoluene

T1R1I1N1I1T1R1O1T1O1L1U1E1N1E1

noun

A highly explosive yellow crystalline substance, (CH₃C₆H₂(NO₂)₃), obtained by reacting nitric acid with toluene.

Similar
toliteTNT
OriginEnglish toluene ← German Toluin ← Ancient Greek νῐ́τρον (nĭ́tron) →
RareScrabble 15
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Meanings

nountrinitrotoluene (countable and uncountable, plural trinitrotoluenes)

plural trinitrotoluenes

  1. countableuncountableA highly explosive yellow crystalline substance, (CH₃C₆H₂(NO₂)₃), obtained by reacting nitric acid with toluene.

    Synonyms: tolite

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA highly explosive yellow crystalline substance, (CH₃C₆H₂(NO₂)₃), obtained by reacting nitric acid with toluene.

Similar
tolite

More synonyms by meaning

nounexplosive consisting of a yellow crystalline compound that is a flammable toxic derivative of toluene

Similar
TNT
Broader
explosive compound
Also see
tnttolite

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Englishtri-
  2. Egyptiannṯrj
  3. Ancient Greekνῐ́τρον (nĭ́tron)
  4. Englishnitro-
  5. GermanTolu
  6. GermanToluin
  7. Englishtoluene
  8. Englishtrinitrotoluene

From tri- + nitro- + toluene.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian тротил
  • тротил (trotil)a highly explosive yellow crystalline substance
Catalan trinitrotoluè
  • trinitrotoluèa highly explosive yellow crystalline substance
Chinese Mandarin 三硝基甲苯
  • 三硝基甲苯 (sānxiāojījiǎběn)a highly explosive yellow crystalline substance
Czech trinitrotoluen
  • trinitrotoluena highly explosive yellow crystalline substance
Finnish trinitrotolueeni, trotyyli
  • trinitrotolueenia highly explosive yellow crystalline substance
  • trotyylia highly explosive yellow crystalline substance
French trinitrotoluène
  • trinitrotoluènea highly explosive yellow crystalline substance
German Trinitrotoluol
  • Trinitrotoluola highly explosive yellow crystalline substance
Hungarian trinitrotoluol
  • trinitrotoluola highly explosive yellow crystalline substance
Irish trínítreatolúéin
  • trínítreatolúéina highly explosive yellow crystalline substance
Italian trinitrotoluene, tritolo
  • trinitrotoluenea highly explosive yellow crystalline substance
  • tritoloa highly explosive yellow crystalline substance
Japanese トリニトロトルエン
  • トリニトロトルエン (torinitorotoruen)a highly explosive yellow crystalline substance
Korean 트라이나이트로톨루엔
  • 트라이나이트로톨루엔 (teurainaiteurotolluen)a highly explosive yellow crystalline substance
Malay trinitrotoluena
  • trinitrotoluenaa highly explosive yellow crystalline substance
Polish trotyl
  • trotyla highly explosive yellow crystalline substance
Portuguese trinitrotolueno
  • trinitrotoluenoa highly explosive yellow crystalline substance
Russian тринитротолуо́л, троти́л
  • тринитротолуо́л (trinitrotoluól)a highly explosive yellow crystalline substance
  • троти́л (trotíl)a highly explosive yellow crystalline substance
  • тол (tol)a highly explosive yellow crystalline substance
Spanish trinitrotolueno
  • trinitrotoluenoa highly explosive yellow crystalline substance
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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