|melə|fanik- noun
Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary mell ite + -o- + Greek phan- (stem of phainesthai to appear, passive of phainein to show) + International Scientific Vocabulary -ic — more at fancy
: either of two isomeric acids derived from benzene:
a. : prehnitic acid b
b. : a crystalline acid C 6 H 2 (COOH) 4 formed by oxidation of isodurene; 1,2,3,5-benzene-tetracarboxylic acid