Also -en, -ine. [ad. mod.L. type stearoptēnum (Herberger, 18[?].), f. Gr. στέαρ solid fat (cf. STEARIN) + πτηνό-ς winged (taken to represent ‘volatile’). Cf. F. stéaroptène.
Both this and the parallel ELÆOPTENE are bad formations, and do not express the intended meaning.]
The solid crystalline component of a volatile oil, in contradistinction to the liquid part or elæoptene; a camphor.
1836. Penny Cycl., VI. 204. Camphor is the stearopten, or one of the principles arising from the separation of the volatile oil of [etc.].
1846. Lindley, Veg. Kingd., 537. The Camphor of commerce … is a kind of Stearoptine.
1887. Bentley, Man. Bot. (ed. 5), 642. The stearoptene called menthol … is said to be derived from Mentha arvensis.
