Methylene, n. [F. méthylène, from Gr. wine + wood; -- a word coined to correspond to the name wood spirit.].
A divalent hydrocarbon radical, -CH2-, not known in the free state, but regarded as an essential residue and component of certain derivatives of methane; as, methylene bromide, CH2Br2; -- formerly called also methene. [1913 Webster]
Methylene blue(Chem.), an artificial dyestuff consisting of a complex sulphur derivative of diphenyl amine; -- called also pure blue.