ethanol
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of ethanol
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Explanation
Ethanol is a chemical, a specific type of alcohol. When sugar ferments, as when grapes are made into wine, ethanol is created. Isopropyl alcohol, commonly known as "rubbing alcohol," is poisonous, but ethanol can be safely consumed by most people in small quantities. It's clear and colorless, and highly flammable. In addition to being a component of all alcoholic beverages, ethanol is also an alternative fuel source. The word ethanol is a contraction of ethane, a chemical compound, and alcohol.
Vocabulary lists containing ethanol
Elements of the Universe: Aether ("Sky")
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Sugar Changed the World
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aer (air), aeth (sky), vapor (gas)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
That is where the imports will help provide a buffer, says Atul Chaturvedi, non-executive director of Shree Renuka Sugars, India's largest sugar refiner and a major ethanol producer.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
"At current sugar prices, it simply doesn't make economic sense for mills to divert cane juice to ethanol, so India's sugar scenario should be quite all right going forward," Chaturvedi said.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
Much like solar energy, the ethanol could be used to offset heating costs and to keep the fridge running when the power goes out, all while being fueled by household waste.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026
About a third of U.S. agricultural products go to Canada and Mexico, with Mexico consistently one of the top two buyers of U.S. corn and Canada the largest importer of U.S. ethanol.
From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026
Instead, cane is often used to create ethanol, much as corn farmers in America now convert their harvest into fuel.
From "Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science" by Marc Aronson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
