The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
n. Any of three colorless isomeric liquid hydrocarbons, C10H14, obtained chiefly from the essential oils of cumin and thyme and used in the manufacture of synthetic resins.
n. any of several isomeric naturally occurring terpenoid hydrocarbons; a constituent of a number of essential oils, most commonly the oil of cumin and thyme.
the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
n. A colorless, liquid, combustible hydrocarbon, CH3.C6H4.C3H7, of pleasant odor, obtained from oil of cumin, oil of caraway, carvacrol, camphor, etc.; -- called also paracymene, and formerly camphogen.
The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
n. A hydrocarbon (C10H14) occurring in the volatile oil of Roman cumin, in camphor, in the oil of thyme, etc., and prepared by treating oil of turpentine with oil of vitriol. It is a colorless, strongly refracting liquid, and has a pleasant odor of lemons. Also cymol and camphogen.
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
n. any of three isotopes of a colorless aromatic liquid hydrocarbon occurring in the volatile oil of cumin and thyme and used in the manufacture of synthetic resins
Word Usage
"Looking at a dozen or so components, they determined that the main culprits in the tobacco malodor, after nicotine, include substituted pyrazines and pyridines (compounds that contribute a burning, smoky smell) and para-cymene (lending green or herbal notes)."