cetyl alcohol

[seet-l]

noun

a white, crystalline, water-insoluble solid, C16H34O, used chiefly as an emollient in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

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]

A waxy alcohol used in lubricants, detergents, cosmetics, and emulsifiers. Chemical formula: C16H34O.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.