C4H3O—CHO; a colorless, aromatic, irritating fluid obtained in the distillation of bran with dilute sulfuric acid; used in the manufacture of medicinal agents.
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fur·fu·ral 'fər-f(y)ə-.ral n a liquid aldehyde C5H4O2 of penetrating odor that is usu. made from plant materials and used esp. in making furan or phenolic resins and as a solvent
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fur·fu·ral (furґfu-rəl) furan carrying a carbonyl substituent, an intermediate formed from pentosans of cereal straws and brans and used in a variety of industrial processes; it irritates mucous membranes and causes photosensitivity and headaches.Medical dictionary. 2011.