Meaning & use
ethyl
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable or uncountablechemistrytechnical
a chemical group made of two carbon atoms and five hydrogen atoms, written as C2H5
Grammar: Usually used before another noun: an ethyl group, ethyl alcohol. It rarely appears alone.
Patterns
- an ethyl group
- ethyl alcohol
- ethyl acetate
In the formula, the ethyl group is attached to the oxygen atom.
Ethyl alcohol is the type of alcohol found in beer, wine, and spirits.
The lab report described how the ethyl compound was separated from the mixture.
noununcountablechemistrytechnical
ethyl alcohol, the alcohol in alcoholic drinks, used in medicine and industry
Grammar: In everyday speech, 'ethyl' alone can mean ethyl alcohol, but 'alcohol' is the usual word.
Patterns
- ethyl alcohol
- pure ethyl
The nurse cleaned the wound with ethyl alcohol.
Ethyl is added to gasoline in some countries to reduce pollution.
Common combinations
- ethyl alcohol
- Ethyl alcohol is the main ingredient in hand sanitizer.
- ethyl acetate
- Ethyl acetate has a sweet smell and is used in glue.
- ethyl group
- The ethyl group makes the molecule more reactive.
- ethyl gasoline
- Ethyl gasoline was banned in many places because of lead.
Synonyms and how they differ
- ethanol
- The modern chemical name for ethyl alcohol; it is more precise and preferred in scientific writing.
Word family
- ethylene noun
- A gas made from ethyl groups, used to ripen fruit.
- ethylated adjective
- Describing a substance that has had ethyl added to it.
Commonly confused: ethyl or methyl?
ethyl vs methyl
Methyl is a similar chemical group with one carbon atom (CH3), not two. They are not the same.
Practice
What is ethyl alcohol more commonly called?
Choose one answer.
Ethyl alcohol is the everyday name for ethanol, the alcohol in drinks. Methanol is a different, poisonous alcohol; acetone and benzene are unrelated chemicals.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “ethyl”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.