Meaning & use

methanal

noun·Advanced

The systematic chemical name for formaldehyde, a colorless, pungent gas used in preservatives and industrial materials.

See it in a sentence

Methanal is commonly known by its older name, formaldehyde, once used to preserve biological specimens.

The resin was produced by combining methanal with other chemicals under heat.

A note on using this word

Methanal is the IUPAC name; in everyday and industrial use, the older term formaldehyde is far more common.

Words with a similar meaning

formaldehyde

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