Definition

A chemical compound that is a type of ester derived from carbamic acid, often used in organic chemistry and sometimes in medicine.

Example

The chemist used urethane in the synthesis of new materials.

Conversation

I was reading about different compounds and came across urethane.

Oh really? What did it say about it?

It mentioned that urethane is used in some medical treatments.

That's interesting! I didn't know it had medicinal uses.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Urethane is formed from "urea" (from Latin "urea", meaning a compound found in urine) and "-thane" (from Greek "thainein", meaning to put or place). The word refers to a compound that is derived from urea and is used in various chemical applications.

Memory Tip

Think of 'urea' as a compound found in urine, and '-thane' as something that is 'put' or 'placed'. This helps you remember that urethane is a compound related to urea.

Visually Confused Words