FORMALIN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does formalin mean? 

• FORMALIN (noun)
  The noun FORMALIN has 1 sense:

1. a 10% solution of formaldehyde in water; used as a disinfectant or to preserve biological specimens

  Familiarity information: FORMALIN used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FORMALIN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A 10% solution of formaldehyde in water; used as a disinfectant or to preserve biological specimens

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Synonyms:

formalin; formol

Hypernyms ("formalin" is a kind of...):

solution (a homogeneous mixture of two or more substances; frequently (but not necessarily) a liquid solution)

 Context examples 

A Formalin-Fixed, Paraffin-Embedded (FFPE) block that resulted from a paraffin embedding procedure performed on a formalin fixed tissue specimen.

(Biospecimen, NCI Thesaurus/BRIDG)

Tissue which is preserved in a fixative solution, usually formalin.

(Fixed Specimen, NCI Thesaurus)

In its typical form, formalin is 37% formaldehyde by weight (40% by volume), 6-13% methanol, and the rest water.

(Formaldehyde Solution, NCI Thesaurus)

Formaldehyde is readily soluble in water and is commonly distributed as a 37% solution in water; formalin, a 10% solution of formaldehyde in water, is used as a disinfectant and to preserve biological specimens.

(Formaldehyde, NCI Thesaurus)