Ethanol

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɛθ.ə.nɒl/

Definitions

1. A colorless, flammable alcohol produced by fermentation, commonly used as a fuel additive, solvent, and the intoxicating ingredient in alcoholic beverages
2. A clear, volatile organic compound resulting from fermentation, widely utilized in beverages as a psychoactive agent, as well as in industrial applications for its solvent properties and as an alternative fuel source
3. A transparent, flammable liquid created through the fermentation process, known for its role in alcoholic drinks, as well as for serving as a solvent in various industries and as a fuel additive

Etymology: Ethanol is a chemist's word, built deliberately from older pieces. Its first half, "eth-", comes from "ethyl," the name chemists gave to the radical in ether, the volatile liquid used as an anaesthetic. "Ethyl" traces back to the ancient Greek "aithēr," meaning the upper air or sky, which is also where the word "ether" comes from. The Greek root "aithō," meaning "to burn" or "to blaze," underlies it, which suits a substance that catches fire easily. German chemists' "Äthyl" influenced the English form. The second half, "-anol," draws on "alcohol," a word with a much longer and more exotic past. It descends from Arabic "kuḥl," a fine powder used as eye makeup, which passed into Medieval Latin as "alcohol" for any fine powder or distilled essence. English first used it for a powdered substance before narrowing it to the intoxicating liquid. The "-ane" ending comes from "ethane," the hydrocarbon with two carbon atoms, and "-ol" marks an alcohol in chemical naming. Ethanol is therefore a contraction of "ethyl" and "alcohol," compressing an Arabic cosmetic powder and a Greek word for the sky into the name of the drinker's spirit.

Synonyms: ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol