methyl

¹ American

[meth-uhl] / ˈmɛθ əl /

adjective

Chemistry.

containing the methyl group. Me

methyl- ² American

a combining form occurring in the names of chemical compounds in which the methyl group is present.

methylamine.

methyl British

/ ˈmiːθaɪl, ˈmɛθɪl /

noun

(modifier) of, consisting of, or containing the monovalent group of atoms CH 3
an organometallic compound in which methyl groups are bound directly to a metal atom

"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

methyl Scientific

/ mĕth′əl /

The radical CH ₃, derived from methane.

Other Word Forms

methylic

adjective

Etymology

Origin of methyl

First recorded in 1835–45; by back formation from methylene

Compare meaning

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

methyl vs. ethyl

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:

methyl methyl-

The tank contained about 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate, a toxic chemical used to make plastics.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026

Authorities suspect that the cooling system responsible for maintaining the temperature of the tank, filled with methyl methacrylate, or MMA, failed.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2026

Others included a carboxylic acid moiety or a methyl ester side chain.

From Science Daily ● May 27, 2026

The EPA says methyl methacrylate is irritating to the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes in humans.

From Barron's ● May 24, 2026

Iodine green introduced; leading to further use for methyl iodide.

From Coal and What We Get from It by Raphael Meldola

Crude wood spirit, which has been freed from acetic acid, consists in the main of a mixture of acetone and methyl- alcohol.

From Nitro-Explosives: A Practical Treatise by P. Gerald (Percy Gerald) Sanford

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023