aldol

noun

al·​dol ˈal-ˌdȯl How to pronounce aldol (audio)
-ˌdōl
: a colorless beta-hydroxy aldehyde C4H8O2 used especially in organic synthesis
broadly : any of various similar aldehydes
aldolization noun

Examples of aldol in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Heating a ginger rhizome causes gingerol to undergo a reverse aldol reaction, transforming it to zingerone, a molecule that is completely absent in fresh ginger. Alice Chi Phung, Discover Magazine, 30 Sep. 2014

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary aldehyde + -ol entry 1

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of aldol was in 1872

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Aldol.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aldol. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Medical Definition

aldol

noun
: a colorless beta-hydroxy aldehyde C4H8O2
broadly : any of various similar aldehydes

More from Merriam-Webster on aldol

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!