• A class of hydrocarbons formed from units of isoprene (C5H8) linked to form chains or rings. A mono-terpene has 2 isoprene units, a sesquiterpene has 3 isoprene units, a diterpene has 4 isoprene units, a sesterpene has 5 isoprene units, a triterpene has 6 isoprene units, a carotenoid has 8 isoprene units, and rubber has >100 isoprene units.
  CRCH Nutrition Terminology
  Cancer Research Center of Hawaii, University of Hawaii, 2021
• A type of strong-smelling chemical substance found in some plants, especially trees that have cones. Terpenes are found in essential oils (scented liquid taken from plants).
  NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms
  U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
• Family of linear, cyclic, and bicyclic C(10)H(16) hydrocarbons with methylated double bonds at every 4th position; isoprene dimer; the basic structural unit of vitamins A, E, and K, and cholesterol and other steroids.
  CRISP Thesaurus
  National Institutes of Health, 2006
• A class of compounds composed of repeating 5-carbon units of HEMITERPENES.
  NLM Medical Subject Headings
  U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025
• (terpene compound) The class of compound known as terpenes comprise of essential oils, flavours and fragrances. The extraction and synthesis of compounds such as these is the basis for the perfumery industry. They find a variety of uses in the food and pharmaceutical industry as flavour and odour improvers
  NCI
  U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021