hydroxyl

American  

[hahy-drok-suhl] / haɪˈdrɒk səl /

Or hydroxy

adjective

1. containing the hydroxyl group.

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hydroxyl British  

/ haɪˈdrɒksɪl /

noun

1. (modifier) of, consisting of, or containing the monovalent group -OH or the ion OH ^–

   a hydroxyl group or radical

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hydroxyl Scientific  

/ hī-drŏk′sĭl /

1. The group OH. Hydroxyl is present in bases, certain acids, hydroxides, and alcohols.

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Other Word Forms

• hydroxylic
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of hydroxyl

First recorded in 1865–70; hydr- ² + ox(y)- ² + -yl

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Compare meaning

How does hydroxyl compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• hydroxyl vs. alcohol

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hydroxyl

“It’s a foundational study about the chemistry of plastics interacting with the most common chemical, water, and it’s important because it really does show that these things are capable of generating hydroxyl radicals,” Campen said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

The detection of hydroxyl, detailed in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, offers the first solid proof that this interstellar comet is releasing water far from the Sun.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 11, 2026

Identifying water through its ultraviolet byproduct, hydroxyl, marks an important step in understanding how interstellar comets behave and change over time.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 11, 2026

One of the biggest drivers was a sharp drop in hydroxyl radicals, which are the main chemicals responsible for breaking methane down in the air.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 10, 2026

Water forms an appreciable number of hydrogen and hydroxyl ions, and very weak bases such as bismuth hydroxide are dissociated to but a very slight extent.

From An Elementary Study of Chemistry by William McPherson

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