Mixtures of tetra-, penta-, or pararosanilin which vary in shade of violet depending on the extent of methylation (designated R for reddish shades, B for bluish shades); the hexamethyl compound is known as crystal violet, the pentamenthyl compound as m. 6B. As stains, m. has many bacteriological, histological, and cytological applications.
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methyl violet n any of several basic dyes (as crystal violet or gentian violet) that are methyl derivatives of pararosaniline
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a dye used mainly for staining protozoans.
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gentian violet; see under gentian.Medical dictionary. 2011.