ethyl acetate

American  

noun

Chemistry.

1. a colorless, volatile, flammable liquid, C 4 H 8 O 2 , having a fragrant, fruitlike odor: used chiefly as a scent in the manufacture of perfumes, flavorings, and confections, and as a solvent for paints, varnishes, and lacquers.

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ethyl acetate British  

noun

1. a colourless volatile flammable fragrant liquid ester, made from acetic acid and ethanol: used in perfumes and flavourings and as a solvent for plastics, etc. Formula: CH 3 COOC 2 H 5

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ethyl acetate Scientific  

1. A colorless, volatile, flammable liquid used as a solvent and in perfumes, lacquers, pharmaceuticals, and rayon. Chemical formula: C ₄ H ₈ O ₂ .

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Etymology

Origin of ethyl acetate

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

Local media reported that ethyl acetate, a highly flammable chemical compound, was found at the attack sites.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2025

One of the common solvents, ethyl acetate, comes naturally in many foods and beverages.

From Salon • Jul. 23, 2024

The researchers used methanol and ethyl acetate to prepare extracts from sunflower stems.

From Science Daily • Oct. 25, 2023

Conventional home fragrance products can contain hundreds of chemicals, including phthalates, benzaldehyde, camphor, ethyl acetate, benzyl acetate, musk ketone, benzene, formaldehyde, BHT and acetaldehyde.

From Washington Post • Mar. 15, 2023

For some reason the presence of water seems to reduce the effectiveness of ethyl acetate at quickly immobilising specimens.

From Practical Taxidermy A manual of instruction to the amateur in collecting, preserving, and setting up natural history specimens of all kinds. To which is added a chapter upon the pictorial arrangement of museums. With additional instructions in modelling and artistic taxidermy. by Browne, Montagu