n. [ Hex- + -yl + ethlene. ] (Chem.) A colorless, liquid hydrocarbon, C6H12, of the ethylene series, produced artificially, and found as a natural product of distillation of certain coals; also, any one several isomers of hexylene proper. Called also hexene. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. meta- + xylene. ] (Chem.) That variety of xylene, or dimethyl benzene, in which the two methyl groups occupy the meta position with reference to each other. It is a colorless inflammable liquid. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Ortho- + xylene. ] (Chem.) That variety of xylene (C6H4(CH3)2) in which the two methyl groups are in the ortho position; a colorless, liquid, combustible hydrocarbon resembling benzene. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chem.) A hydrocarbon (C6H4(CH3)2) of the aromatic series obtained as a colorless liquid by the distillation of camphor with zinc chloride. It is one of the three metamers of xylene. Cf. Metamer, and Xylene. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Xanthoxylum. ] (Chem.) A liquid hydrocarbon of the terpene series extracted from the seeds of a Japanese prickly ash (Xanthoxylum pipertium) as an aromatic oil. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. xy`lon wood. ] (Chem.) Any of a group of three metameric hydrocarbons of the aromatic series, found in coal and wood tar, and so named because found in crude wood spirit. They are colorless, oily, inflammable liquids, C6H4.(CH3)2, being dimethyl benzenes, and are called respectively orthoxylene, metaxylene, and paraxylene. Called also xylol. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Each of these xylenes is the nucleus and prototype of a distinct series of compounds. [ 1913 Webster ]