OL

or OL., O.L.

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abbreviation

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Other definitions for OL (2 of 5)

-ol¹

a suffix used in the names of chemical derivatives, representing “alcohol” (glycerol; naphthol; phenol), or sometimes “phenol” or less definitely assignable phenol derivatives (resorcinol).

Origin of -ol

Short for alcohol or phenol

Other definitions for OL (3 of 5)

-ol²

variant of -ole².

Other definitions for OL (4 of 5)

Ol.

abbreviation

(in prescriptions) oil.

Origin of Ol.

From the Latin word oleum

Other definitions for OL (5 of 5)

O.L.

or o.l.

abbreviation

(in prescriptions) the left eye.

Origin of O.L.

From Latin oculus laevus

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use OL in a sentence

The genetically engineered mice that received OL-1 did about as well as the wild mice.
Trial Drug Reverses Alzheimer’s Disease in Mice|Elizabeth Lopatto|May 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The other half of the mutants received the experimental drug, called antisense oligonucleotide or OL-1.
Trial Drug Reverses Alzheimer’s Disease in Mice|Elizabeth Lopatto|May 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Beta amyloid, which OL-1 is meant to lower, was first implicated in the disease at its identification by Alois Alzheimer in 1906.
Trial Drug Reverses Alzheimer’s Disease in Mice|Elizabeth Lopatto|May 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Everyone knows a road trip is the classic way to see the grand ol' USA.
The U.S. Road Trips You Should Really Take|Lonely Planet|April 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Hart's the good ol' boy type: wife, kids, mistress, no-nonsense demeanor, the beginnings of a paunch.
‘True Detective’ Review: You Have to Watch HBO’s Revolutionary Crime Classic|Andrew Romano|January 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Seems like ol' folks allus lays by for the funeral, but that's every red cent they got.
Scattergood Baines|Clarence Budington Kelland
How "Joe Gardner's mule had gone plumb hog-wild when he tried to ride past the ol' ruins near th' ranch."
The Shepherd of the Hills|Harold Bell Wright
The man approached the cabin, but stopped some distance away and called, "Hello, ol' man!"
The Shepherd of the Hills|Harold Bell Wright
I'm dummed if there ain't ol' Santa Claus a comin' t' th' Forks in th' summa time.
The Shepherd of the Hills|Harold Bell Wright
Now, in the ol' days, I've seen a dozen whales to wind'ard an' we couldn't get to 'em at all.
The Boy With the U. S. Fisheries|Francis Rolt-Wheeler

British Dictionary definitions for OL (1 of 2)

-ol¹

suffix forming nouns

denoting an organic chemical compound containing a hydroxyl group, esp alcohols and phenolsethanol; quinol

Word Origin for -ol

from alcohol

British Dictionary definitions for OL (2 of 2)

-ol²

n combining form

(not used systematically) a variant of -ole 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for OL

-ol

A suffix used to form the names of chemical compounds having a hydroxyl (OH) group, such as ethanol.