Aniline
/ˈæn.ɪ.liːn/noun
A toxic oily liquid used in making dyes, plastics, and other chemicals.
Did you know?Aniline was named from indigo’s source plant, the Portuguese word anil, ultimately from Arabic al-nīl, the same root behind the old color trade that spread across the medieval world.
Etymological Timeline
Arabic
Arabic
al-nīl
“indigo; the indigo dye or plant source”
Medieval Portuguese
Portuguese
anil
“indigo; a plant or dye yielding blue color”
1826
French
aniline
“a chemical substance first obtained from indigo”
19th Century
German/English
Anilin / aniline
“the oily base used in making synthetic dyes”
Modern English
English
aniline
“a toxic aromatic amine used especially in dye manufacture”