Dictionary.com

fusel oil

[ fyoo-zuhl, -suhl ]
/ ˈfyu zəl, -səl /

noun

a mixture consisting chiefly of amyl alcohols obtained as a by-product in the fermentation of grains.

QUIZZES

CAN YOU GUESS THESE WORDS FROM AROUND THE US?

American English is not always as it appears to be ... get to know regional words in this quiz!
Question 1 of 10
A bet is synonymous with a wager, but what does it mean in New York?
Often it means something is impossible.
It’s another way to agree with someone.
It serves as an apology.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of fusel oil

First recorded in1855–60, fusel oil is from the German word Fusel bad liquor

Words nearby fusel oil

fused kidney, fused quartz, fusee, fuselage, Fuseli, fusel oil, Fushih, Fushun, fusibility, fusible, fusible metal
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for fusel oil

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

Scientific 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 Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.