indole

American

[in-dohl] / ˈɪn doʊl /

noun

Chemistry.

a colorless to yellowish solid, C 8 H 7 N, having a low melting point and a fecal odor, found in the oil of jasmine and clove and as a putrefaction product from animals' intestines: used in perfumery and as a reagent.

indole British

/ ˈɪndəʊl, -dɒl, ˈɪndəʊl /

noun

a white or yellowish crystalline heterocyclic compound extracted from coal tar and used in perfumery, medicine, and as a flavouring agent; 1-benzopyrrole. Formula: C 8 H 7 N

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

indole Scientific

/ ĭn′dōl′ /

A white crystalline compound obtained from coal tar or various plants and produced by the bacterial decomposition of tryptophan in the intestine. It is used in the perfume industry and as a reagent. Chemical formula: C ₈ H ₇ N.
Any of various derivatives of this compound.

Etymology

Origin of indole

First recorded in 1865–70; ind- + -ole ²

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The compound studied is called indole.

From Science Daily

Some of the mice also received indole.

From Science Daily

Offspring born to mothers that received indole showed multiple health advantages.

From Science Daily

In a key experiment, gut bacteria from the protected offspring were transferred to other mice that had not received indole.

From Science Daily

One group of metabolites, known as indole compounds, has attracted special interest because of their anti-aging, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects.

From Science Daily

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023