The structure of the title compound, 1,3-diphenyl-2-benzofuran, C(20)H(14)O, exhibits a distinct alternation of short [mean 1.361 (3) Å] and long [mean 1.431 (3) Å] C-C bonds around the benzofuran ring system, indicating a predominantly polyene character. Over 60 Diels-Alder adducts of this commercially available furan have been structurally characterized, but this is the first report of the structure of the parent compound.