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methanol

American  
[meth-uh-nawl, -nol] / ˈmɛθ əˌnɔl, -ˌnɒl /

noun

Chemistry.
  1. methyl alcohol.


methanol British  
/ ˈmɛθəˌnɒl /

noun

  1. Also called: methyl alcohol.   wood alcohol.  a colourless volatile poisonous liquid compound used as a solvent and fuel. Formula: CH 3 OH

"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

methanol Scientific  
/ mĕthə-nôl′ /
  1. A colorless, toxic, flammable liquid used as a general solvent, antifreeze, and fuel. Also called methyl alcohol, wood alcohol. Chemical formula: CH 4 O.


Etymology

Origin of methanol

First recorded in 1890–95; methane + -ol 1

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.

See Examples For:

Dark smoke rose from the front of the vessel, which was loaded with methanol and sailing in the Persian Gulf.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 31, 2026

Read more about the symptoms of methanol poisoning.

From BBC Jul. 15, 2026

What is methanol and how does it affect the body?

From BBC Jul. 15, 2026

He expects urea prices to recover in 2H on seasonal fertilizer demand, while resilient methanol and ammonia prices should provide support.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 1, 2026

"Our study may provide a new pathway to addressing the long-standing trade-off between activity and selectivity in methanol synthesis from CO2," said Prof. Sun.

From Science Daily Jun. 14, 2026

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