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cetyl alcohol

[seet-l]
noun
  1. a white, crystalline, water-insoluble solid, C16H34O, used chiefly as an emollient in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
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Also ce·tyl·ic al·cohol [si-til-ik] /sɪˈtɪl ɪk/.

Origin of cetyl alcohol

1870–75; cet- + -yl (so called because some of its compounds are found in spermaceti)
Also called ethal.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
cetyl alcohol in Science

cetyl alcohol

[sēt′l]
  1. A waxy alcohol used in lubricants, detergents, cosmetics, and emulsifiers. Chemical formula: C16H34O.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.