ethyl acetate

American  

noun

Chemistry.

1. a colorless, volatile, flammable liquid, C 4 H 8 O 2 , having a fragrant, fruitlike odor: used chiefly as a scent in the manufacture of perfumes, flavorings, and confections, and as a solvent for paints, varnishes, and lacquers.

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ethyl acetate British  

noun

1. a colourless volatile flammable fragrant liquid ester, made from acetic acid and ethanol: used in perfumes and flavourings and as a solvent for plastics, etc. Formula: CH 3 COOC 2 H 5

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ethyl acetate Scientific  

1. A colorless, volatile, flammable liquid used as a solvent and in perfumes, lacquers, pharmaceuticals, and rayon. Chemical formula: C ₄ H ₈ O ₂ .

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Etymology

Origin of ethyl acetate

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

Local media reported that ethyl acetate, a highly flammable chemical compound, was found at the attack sites.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2025

Methylene chloride and ethyl acetate are commonly used in paint stripper, nail polish removers and degreaser.

From Salon • Oct. 31, 2023

The researchers used methanol and ethyl acetate to prepare extracts from sunflower stems.

From Science Daily • Oct. 25, 2023

Conventional home fragrance products can contain hundreds of chemicals, including phthalates, benzaldehyde, camphor, ethyl acetate, benzyl acetate, musk ketone, benzene, formaldehyde, BHT and acetaldehyde.

From Washington Post • Mar. 15, 2023

For example, unlike many popular components of killing bottles, ethyl acetate leaves dead specimens relaxed.When you have treated wet specimens with anything acid, do remember to neutralise the acid residues as soon as possible.

From Practical Taxidermy A manual of instruction to the amateur in collecting, preserving, and setting up natural history specimens of all kinds. To which is added a chapter upon the pictorial arrangement of museums. With additional instructions in modelling and artistic taxidermy. by Browne, Montagu