alcohol

noun

al·​co·​hol ˈal-kə-ˌhȯl 

1

a

: ethanol especially when considered as the intoxicating agent in fermented and distilled liquors

b

: drink (such as whiskey or beer) containing ethanol

c

: a mixture of ethanol and water that is usually 95 percent ethanol

2

: any of a class of organic (see organic entry 1 sense 1b(2)) compounds that are analogous to ethanol and that are hydroxyl derivatives of hydrocarbons

Synonyms of alcohol

• liquor
• booze
• drink

Examples of alcohol in a Sentence

cough medicine that contains alcohol

drinks that are high in alcohol

There was a high level of alcohol in his blood at the time of the accident.

a mixture of different alcohols

The restaurant had a license to serve alcohol.

Recent Examples on the Web

In total, 1,053,483 people died; 95,350 deaths from external causes (accidents, violent and alcohol-attributable causes), and 955,723 from other underlying causes. —Hannah Millington, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025

Items not valid for the senior and discount included prescriptions, alcohol, tobacco, phone services, transit passes, postage, Arizona Lottery tickets, event tickets, fuel, gift cards, money orders and Western Union services. —Rey Covarrubias Jr, AZCentral.com, 4 Nov. 2025

The incident comes after six tourists died in the Laos town of Vang Vieng last November, after drinking alcohol believed to have been contaminated with methanol. —Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 4 Nov. 2025

Healthy sleep hygiene involves limiting light exposure, screen time and consumption of food and alcohol in the few hours before bed. —Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Medieval Latin, powdered antimony, from Old Spanish, from Arabic al-kuḥul the powdered antimony, from kuḥl kohl

First Known Use

1672, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing alcohol

• alcohol by volume
• alcohol use disorder
• amyl alcohol
• anti-alcohol
• butyl alcohol
• cetyl alcohol
• ethyl alcohol
• fetal alcohol syndrome
• grain alcohol
• isopropyl alcohol
• lauryl alcohol
• methyl alcohol
• polyvinyl alcohol
• rubbing alcohol
• vinyl alcohol
• wood alcohol

Rhymes for alcohol

• aerosol
• arbitral
• basketball
• butanol
• cannonball
• carbinol
• catarrhal
• cortisol
• ethanol
• fireball
• gasohol
• guaiacol

Kids Definition

alcohol

noun

al·​co·​hol ˈal-kə-ˌhȯl 

1

a

: ethanol especially when used as the substance in fermented or distilled liquors (as beer or whiskey) that can make one drunk

b

: drink (as beer, wine, or whiskey) containing ethanol

2

: any of various carbon compounds that are similar to ethanol in having one or more hydroxyl groups

Medical Definition

alcohol

noun

al·​co·​hol ˈal-kə-ˌhȯl 

1

a

: ethanol especially when considered as the intoxicating agent in fermented and distilled liquors

b

: drink (as whiskey or beer) containing ethanol

c

: a mixture of ethanol and water that is usually 95 percent ethanol

2

: any of various compounds that are analogous to ethanol in constitution and that are hydroxyl derivatives of hydrocarbons