ˈsi.ˌtral noun
( -s )
Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary citr- + -al
: an unsaturated liquid aldehyde C 9 H 15 CHO that has a strong lemon and verbena odor, is found in many essential oils (as lemon oil and citronella oil), is used in flavoring and perfumery, and consists of a mixture of two stereoisomeric forms (1) the form obtained by the oxidation of geraniol and (2) the form obtained by the oxidation of nerol — called also respectively (1) citral a, geranial (2) citral b, neral