What does anthracene mean?
Anthracene is a colourless, crystalline solid hydrocarbon with the formula C₁₄H₁₀, made up of three benzene rings fused together in a straight line. It belongs to the class of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and occurs naturally in coal tar, from which it was first isolated in the nineteenth century. Its most important historical role came in dye chemistry: oxidation of anthracene yields anthraquinone, the precursor of alizarin, one of the earliest synthetic dyes produced on an industrial scale. Anthracene also shows a striking blue fluorescence under ultraviolet light, which makes it useful in research on luminescent materials and organic semiconductors. The word derives from the Greek anthrak-, meaning coal, linking it etymologically to anthracite. Today anthracene remains primarily a term of organic chemistry, appearing in textbooks, research papers, and industrial contexts rather than everyday conversation.
nounA colourless crystalline aromatic hydrocarbon, C₁₄H₁₀, consisting of three linearly fused benzene rings, obtained chiefly from coal tar and used in the manufacture of dyes such as alizarin.
- A tricyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, C₁₄H₁₀, obtained from coal tar and used in dye manufacture.
"The chemist purified anthracene from coal tar before using it to synthesise alizarin dye."
"Anthracene crystallises in colourless plates that exhibit a characteristic blue fluorescence under ultraviolet light."
"Early synthetic-dye chemistry relied heavily on anthracene, which was oxidised to produce anthraquinone and ultimately alizarin."
Rarely used for multiple samples of the pure compound; in chemical literature, 'anthracenes' typically denotes substituted or derivative compounds based on the anthracene skeleton.
"Halogenated anthracenes are studied for their optical properties."
This coal-tar compound's name comes from the Greek word for 'coal' — the same root that gives us anthracite — and it was the key to making one of history's first synthetic dyes.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of anthracene
The word anthracene derives from the Greek anthrax, meaning 'coal' or 'charcoal', reflecting its original isolation from coal tar. It was coined in the nineteenth century by German chemists studying the constituents of coal tar, following the same naming pattern that gave rise to anthracite. Related words sharing this Greek root include anthracite, anthracnose (a plant disease), and anthracosis (a lung condition caused by coal dust).
How anthracene is actually used
A technical term confined to organic chemistry and related scientific fields; rarely encountered outside specialist literature.
Easily confused with anthracene
Anthracite is a hard, dense variety of coal used as fuel, whereas anthracene is a specific chemical compound (a hydrocarbon) derived from coal tar.