ethanol

[eth-uh-nawl, -nol]

noun

Chemistry.

1. alcohol.

ethanol

/ ˈiːθə-, ˈɛθəˌnɒl /

noun

1. the technical name for alcohol

ethanol

1. An alcohol obtained from the fermentation of sugars and starches or by chemical synthesis. It is the intoxicating ingredient of alcoholic beverages, and is also used as a solvent, in explosives, and as an additive to or replacement for petroleum-based fuels. Also called ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol. Chemical formula: C ₂ H ₆ O.

ethanol

1. Another name for ethyl alcohol.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ethanol¹

First recorded in 1895–1900; ethane + -ol ¹

Example Sentences

Biofuels such as ethanol are often touted as a replacement for fossil fuels, but they can lead to deforestation as demand increases for the crop to burn to make the fuel.

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One of the compounds, acetic acid, had never before been definitively observed in space ice, while the others -- ethanol, methyl formate, and acetaldehyde -- were detected in ices outside the Milky Way for the first time.

Read more on Science Daily

One day Charlie found himself intrigued by the market for ethanol futures.

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It is similar to ethanol, which is used for alcoholic drinks, but is cheaper and more toxic to humans because of the way it is processed by the body.

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“A 10% mixture in the fuel of the world’s entire maritime segment would require approximately 50 billion liters of ethanol annually,” Soybean and Corn Advisor’s Michael Cordonnier writes.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• booze 
• drink 
• liquor 
• methanol 
• smoke