Trivial name

Trivial name

In chemistry and zoology, a trivial name (also a "common name" or "vernacular name") is a non-systematic name. That is, the name is not recognised according to the rules of any formal ("e.g." IUPAC) system of nomenclature. Many trivial names continue to be used because their sanctioned equivalents are considered too cumbersome for everyday use. For example, "tartaric acid", a compound found in wine, has a systematic name of 2,3-dihydroxybutanedioic acid. Similarly, the fish known as the tiger muskellunge is formally known as "Esox masquinongy x Esox lucius".

Trivial names often have their roots in the common language; in chemistry they may come from historic usages in, for example, alchemy. Many of the names pre-date the institution of formal naming conventions. Frequently, trivial names derive from some notable property of the thing being named.

Trivial names, generally, are not useful in describing the essential properties of the thing being named such as the molecular structure of a chemical compound or the phylogenetic relationships of organisms. In some cases, trivial names can be ambiguous or will carry different meanings in different industries or in different geographic regions. On the other hand, systematic names can be so convoluted and difficult to parse that the trivial name is preferred. For example, the most important structural feature of Diazonamide is that it's a nonribosomal peptide, which is denoted by the suffix "amide".

Examples

Organic chemistry

*"tert"-Amyl alcohol — 2-Methylbutan-2-ol
*Carbolic acid — Phenol
*Chloroform — Trichloromethane
*Chloroprene — 2-Chloro-1,3-butadiene
*Freon — Dichlorodifluoromethane
*Isopropyl alcohol — Propan-2-ol
*Pinacolone — 3,3-Dimethylbutan-2-one
*Caffeine — 1,3,7-trimethyl-1H-purine-2,6(3H,7H)-dione
*Cholesterol — 10,13-dimethyl-17-(6-methylheptan-2-yl)-2,3,4,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta [a] phenanthren-3-ol

Inorganic chemistry

*Salt -- sodium chloride
*Potash — potassium carbonate
*Caustic potash or Lye — potassium hydroxide
*Soda ash — sodium carbonate
*Caustic soda or Lye — sodium hydroxide
*Lime or unslaked lime or quicklime — calcium oxide
*Slaked lime or caustic lime — calcium hydroxide
*Muriatic acid — hydrochloric acid
*Baking soda or bicarbonate of soda — sodium hydrogencarbonate
*Epsom salt — hydrated magnesium sulfate
*Oil of Vitriol — sulfuric acid
*Water — hydrogen oxide

Zoology

*Mountain lion or Cougar or Catamount - "Puma concolor"
*Rainbow trout or Steelhead - "Oncorhynchus mykiss"
*Elk or Wapiti - "Cervus canadensis"
*Brook trout or Speckled trout - "Salvelinus fontinalis"

ee also

* Common name
* List of chemical compounds with unusual names


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  • Trivial name — Trivial Triv i*al, a. [L. trivialis, properly, that is in, or belongs to, the crossroads or public streets; hence, that may be found everywhere, common, fr. trivium a place where three roads meet, a crossroad, the public street; tri (see {Tri })… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • trivial name — n. 1. a common name or vernacular name, as of a plant or animal 2. former term for the specific name of an organism as distinct from the generic name in binomial nomenclature * * * …   Universalium

  • trivial name — n. 1. a common name or vernacular name, as of a plant or animal 2. former term for the specific name of an organism as distinct from the generic name in binomial nomenclature …   English World dictionary

  • trivial name — specific spe*cif ic (sp[ e]*s[i^]f [i^]k), a. [F. sp[ e]cifique, or NL. spesificus; L. species a particular sort or kind + facere to make. Cf. {specify}.] 1. Of or pertaining to a species; characterizing or constituting a species; possessing the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • trivial name — noun 1. : specific epithet 2. : the vernacular name of an organism as distinguished from the scientific name 3. : the common name for a chemical substance (as camphor or quinoline) a trivial name … differs from a systematic name in that it tells… …   Useful english dictionary

  • trivial name — A name of a chemical, no part of which is necessarily used in a systematic sense; i.e., it gives little or no indication as to chemical structure. Such names are common for drugs, hormones, proteins, and other biologicals, and are used by the… …   Medical dictionary

  • trivial name — noun a commonly used, non systematic name of a chemical compound. Trivial names for many compounds have been in use since long before their exact chemical structures were determined …   Wiktionary

  • trivial name — triv′ial name n. 1) bio the species name that follows the genus name in taxonomic classification 2) cvb the common or unscientific name of an organism or a chemical compound • Etymology: 1775–85 …   From formal English to slang

  • trivial name — an expression used by Linnaeus (as nomen triviale) and others for the specific name. Applied by some authors in the same sense as vernacular name …   Dictionary of ichthyology

  • trivial name — An obsolete designation by Linnaeus for the specific name; vernacular name …   Dictionary of invertebrate zoology

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