a colourless liquid that is miscible with water and has toxic fumes: used in the manufacture of acrylic fibres and resins, rubber, and thermoplastics. Formula: CH2:CHCN
Also called: vinylcyanide
Word origin
C20: from acrylic + nitrile
acrylonitrile in American English
(ˌækrəloʊˈnaɪtrɪl)
noun
a colorless, liquid monomer, H2C:CHCN, boiling at 78°C, that is polymerized to form acrylic resins for acrylic fibers, synthetic rubber, and soil conditioners: a known carcinogen