alcohol

American  

[al-kuh-hawl, -hol] / ˈæl kəˌhɔl, -ˌhɒl /

noun

1. Also called ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, ethanol.  Also called fermentation alcohol.  a colorless, limpid, volatile, flammable, water-miscible liquid, C 2 H 5 OH, having an etherlike odor and pungent, burning taste, the intoxicating principle of fermented liquors, produced by yeast fermentation of certain carbohydrates, as grains, molasses, starch, or sugar, or obtained synthetically by hydration of ethylene or as a by-product of certain hydrocarbon syntheses: used chiefly as a solvent in the extraction of specific substances, in beverages, medicines, organic synthesis, lotions, tonics, colognes, rubbing compounds, as an automobile radiator antifreeze, and as a rocket fuel.

2. whiskey, gin, vodka, or any other intoxicating liquor containing this liquid.

3. Chemistry. any of a class of chemical compounds having the general formula ROH, where R represents an alkyl group and –OH a hydroxyl group, as in methyl alcohol, CH 3 OH, or ethyl alcohol, C 2 H 5 OH.

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alcohol British  

/ ˈælkəˌhɒl /

noun

1. Also called: ethanol.   ethyl alcohol.  a colourless flammable liquid, the active principle of intoxicating drinks, produced by the fermentation of sugars, esp glucose, and used as a solvent and in the manufacture of organic chemicals. Formula: C 2 H 5 OH

2. a drink or drinks containing this substance

3. chem any one of a class of organic compounds that contain one or more hydroxyl groups bound to carbon atoms. The simplest alcohols have the formula ROH, where R is an alkyl group Compare phenol See also diol triol

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alcohol Scientific  

/ ăl′kə-hôl′ /

1. Any of a large number of colorless, flammable organic compounds that contain the hydroxyl group (OH) and that form esters with acids. Alcohols are used as solvents and for manufacturing dyes, perfumes, and pharmaceuticals. Simple alcohols, such as methanol and ethanol, are water-soluble liquids, while more complex ones, like cetyl alcohol, are waxy solids. Names of alcohols usually end in –ol.

2. Ethanol.

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Etymology

Origin of alcohol

1535–45; < New Latin < Medieval Latin < Arabic al-kuḥl the powdered antimony, the distillate

Compare meaning

How does alcohol compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• witch hazel vs. alcohol
• hydroxyl vs. alcohol

Explanation

Alcohol is a distilled or fermented drink that can make you drunk. Beer, wine and vodka are all kinds of alcohol. Scientifically, alcohol is a liquid made up of distilled hydrocarbons that's also known as ethyl alcohol or ethanol — the same stuff found in solvents and car fuel. At the bar, alcohol is something you drink (as long as you're at least 21). Alcoholic beverages like whiskey and lager are produced by the fermentation of yeast, sugar and starches and have the power to make a person intoxicated.

Example Sentences

Canada’s minister in charge of U.S.-Canada trade, Dominic LeBlanc, said this week that progress on lifting the alcohol ban, which is under provincial jurisdiction, would be contingent on relief from U.S. sectoral tariffs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

I don’t drink alcohol — it’s been almost two years.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026

They also adjusted for factors such as age, sex, ethnicity, education, smoking, alcohol use, diet, and family history of CVD and cancer.

From Science Daily • Apr. 18, 2026

In Northern Ireland, supermarkets must overcome two hurdles before they can start to sell alcohol.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

In the years following the Civil War, alcohol drinking in America took on a whole new look.

From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler

Related Words

• booze
• drink
• ethanol
• liquor
• methanol
• smoke