Isoprene

//ˈaɪsəˌpɹin// noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    An unsaturated hydrocarbon, C₅H₈, that is readily polymerized; natural rubber (caoutchouc) is cis-1,4-polyisoprene, and trans-1,4-polyisoprene is present in gutta-percha and balata; it is the structural basis for the terpenes.

Synonyms

All synonyms
2-methyl-1,3-butadieneisobutadiene

Etymology

Coined (1860) by British chemist C. G. Williams, from iso- (“equal; different, isomeric”) + pr(op)- (“three carbon prefix”) + -ene (“alkene suffix”). A misnomer.

Related phrases

gutta percha

More for "isoprene"

SynonymsSentencesPronunciationTranslate

Next best steps

Find stronger synonymsSee usage examplesCheck pronunciationBrowse writing guides

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.