noun
- Plural of citral; organic compounds found in essential oils of citrus fruits and other plants, used in perfumes and flavorings.
Usage: chemistry; technical
Examples
- Citrals are key components in lemon and lime essential oils.
- The perfume industry relies on citrals to create fresh, citrusy scents.
- Chemists extract citrals from natural plant sources for use in food flavoring.
- Different citrals have distinct aromatic properties valued in cosmetics.