/stuy"reen, stear"een/ , n. Chem.
a colorless, water-insoluble liquid, C 8 H 8 , having a penetrating aromatic odor, usually prepared from ethylene and benzene or ethylbenzene, that polymerizes to a clear transparent material and copolymerizes with other materials to form synthetic rubbers. Also called cinnamene, phenylethylene, vinylbenzene . Cf. polystyrene .
[ 1880-85; styr- (shortened s. of STYRAX) + -ENE ]