Definition of "formaldehyde" []

• A colorless gaseous compound, HCHO, the simplest aldehyde, used for manufacturing melamine and phenolic resins, fertilizers, dyes, and embalming fluids and in aqueous solution as a preservative and disinfectant. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "This human/bird hybrid swimming in formaldehyde is an artwork by Xiao Yu."
• "The dead shark floating in formaldehyde is an iconic work that symbolizes the Britart movement and won Hirst a Turner prize nomination in 1992."
• "A new study from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found that many baby bath products contain formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane, which are both linked to cancer and skin allergies."