fusel oil
[ fyoo-zuh l, -suh l ]
/ ˈfyu zəl, -səl /
noun
a mixture consisting chiefly of amyl alcohols obtained as a by-product in the fermentation of grains.
Words nearby fusel oil
fuse box, fused kidney, fused quartz, fused sentence, fusee, fusel oil, fuselage, fuseli, fushih, fushun, fusibility
Origin of fusel oil
First recorded in 1855–60, fusel oil is from the German word Fusel bad liquor
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for fusel oil
There are many poisonous pretenders to Scotch whiskey; and it is when fusel-oil masquerades as pure spirit that the evil comes.
Nineteen Centuries of Drink in England|Richard Valpy FrenchAmylene (C5H10), an ethereal liquid with an aromatic odour, prepared from fusel-oil.
There are still other kinds of alcohol, some of which are even worse than fusel-oil.
First Book in Physiology and Hygiene|J.H. Kellogg
British Dictionary definitions for fusel oil
fusel oil
fusel
/ (ˈfjuːzəl) /
noun
a mixture of amyl alcohols, propanol, and butanol: a by-product in the distillation of fermented liquors used as a source of amyl alcohols
Word Origin for fusel oil
C19: from German Fusel bad spirits
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Science definitions for fusel oil
fusel oil
[ fyōō′zəl ]
An acrid, oily, poisonous liquid occurring in the distillation products of fermented alcoholic liquids. Fusel oil is a mixture of amyl alcohols, fatty acids, and esters. It is used in paints, plastics, and varnishes, and in the manufacture of explosives.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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