ben ‧ zene /ˈbenziːn, benˈziːn/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[ Date: 1800-1900 ; Origin: bezoin type of chemical compound obtained from a tree (16-21 centuries) , from Old French benjoin , from Catalan benjuí , from Arabic luban jawi 'frankincense of Java' ]
a liquid obtained from coal, used for making plastics