Definition of cetyl alcohol
: a waxy crystalline alcohol C16H34O obtained by the saponification of spermaceti or the hydrogenation of palmitic acid and used especially in pharmaceutical and cosmetic preparations and in making detergents
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Origin and Etymology of cetyl alcohol
International Scientific Vocabulary cet- (from Latin cetus whale) + -yl; from its occurrence in spermaceti
First Known Use: 1863
Medical Dictionary
cetyl alcohol
Medical Definition of cetyl alcohol
: a waxy crystalline alcohol C16H34O obtained by the saponification of spermaceti or the hydrogenation of palmitic acid and used especially in pharmaceutical and cosmetic preparations and in making detergents
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