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.
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
Companies to watch include grain processors and traders like Archer Daniels Midland and Cargill, ethanol producers and machinery and fertilizer companies with direct exposure to the economic fate of U.S. farmers.
From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026
Perhaps the best-known examples of fermentation are in baking and brewing, where yeast breaks down sugar into ethanol and carbon dioxide.
From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026
Advocates for ethanol blended gasoline got a long-awaited win in the House, but a bill allowing year-round sale faces a murky future in the Senate.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026
One day Charlie found himself intrigued by the market for ethanol futures.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
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.
