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alcohols

  • plural
    of alcohol.
    alcohol
    noun
    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.

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Hydrocarbons and chemical compounds like industrial alcohols and plastics accounted for the bulk of Tehran's exports to Beijing.

From Barron's Jan. 13, 2026

Deducting the value of fiber and sugar alcohols from the total carbohydrate content of a food gives what's considered its net carb value.

From Salon Feb. 29, 2024

There are also polyols or sugar alcohols - erythritol particularly has gained traction in recent years.

From BBC Dec. 14, 2023

Cats' scent comes from a mix of volatile organic compounds, including aldehydes, alcohols, esters and ketones.

From Science Daily Nov. 16, 2023

The expertise at distillation that medieval Islamic alchemists developed to produce alcohols and perfumes also let them distill petroleum into fractions, some of which proved to be even more powerful incendiaries.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond