TOLUENE

[tol.u.ene] n [F toluene, fr. tolu balsam from the tropical American tree Myroxylon balsamum, fr. Sp tolu, fr. Santiago de Tolu, Colombia] (1871): a liquid aromatic hydrocarbon that resembles benzene but is less volatile, flammable, and toxic and is used as a solvent, in organic synthesis, and as an antiknock agent for gasoline