acetaldehyde

American  

[as-i-tal-duh-hahyd] / ˌæs ɪˈtæl dəˌhaɪd /

noun

Chemistry.

1. a volatile, colorless, water-soluble liquid, C 2 H 4 O, having a pungent, fruitlike odor: used chiefly in the silvering of mirrors and in organic synthesis.

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acetaldehyde British  

/ ˌæsɪˈtældɪˌhaɪd /

noun

1. Systematic name: ethanal.  a colourless volatile pungent liquid, miscible with water, used in the manufacture of organic compounds and as a solvent and reducing agent. Formula: CH 3 CHO

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acetaldehyde Scientific  

/ ăs′ĭ-tăl′də-hīd′ /

1. A colorless, flammable liquid, used to manufacture acetic acid, perfumes, and drugs. Chemical formula: C ₂ H ₄ O.

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Etymology

Origin of acetaldehyde

First recorded in 1875–80; acet- + aldehyde

Example Sentences

Converting bioethanol into acetaldehyde through selective oxidation offers a more sustainable alternative, but most existing catalysts face a familiar problem.

From Science Daily • Dec. 29, 2025

Reducing the amount of acetaldehyde, the hypothesis goes, should also reduce the physical symptoms caused by its buildup.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 30, 2024

This suggests that when we drink red wine, the liver converts quercetin into quercetin-3-glucuronide, which causes us to accumulate acetaldehyde.

From Salon • Dec. 13, 2023

It can cause cancer because it breaks down in the body to form a compound called acetaldehyde, which damages DNA.

From Scientific American • Sep. 21, 2023

Reduction of the bichromate to a green colour and a distillate, which smells of acetaldehyde and reacts with Schiff's reagent, shows the presence of alcohol in the original liquid.

From The Elements of Bacteriological Technique A Laboratory Guide for Medical, Dental, and Technical Students. Second Edition Rewritten and Enlarged. by Eyre, J. W. H. (John William Henry)