ethanol

noun

eth·​a·​nol ˈe-thə-ˌnȯl How to pronounce ethanol (audio) -ˌnōl How to pronounce ethanol (audio)
 British also  ˈē-
: a colorless volatile flammable liquid C2H5OH that is the intoxicating agent in liquors and is also used as a solvent and in fuel

called also ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol

Examples of ethanol 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.
May 8, 2025 Prime Minister Keir Starmer said British farmers will get more access to the U.S. under the agreement, and the release noted that U.S. ethanol is used to produce beer and that the country’s beef and poultry import standards will not be lowered. Haisten Willis, The Washington Examiner, 8 May 2025 The president said that the agreement would lead to more beef and ethanol exports to the U.K., which would also streamline the processing of U.S. goods though customs. Jill Lawless, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2025 The fact sheet estimates that U.S. ethanol exports to the U.K. could reach $700 million a year, with another $250 million coming from beef exports. Haisten Willis, The Washington Examiner, 8 May 2025 In exchange, the U.K. will ease trade barriers targeting a set of products, including ethanol, beef and machinery, among other products, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said. Max Zahn, ABC News, 8 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for ethanol

Word History

First Known Use

1892, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ethanol was in 1892

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Cite this Entry

“Ethanol.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ethanol. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

ethanol

noun
eth·​a·​nol ˈeth-ə-ˌnȯl How to pronounce ethanol (audio)
-ˌnōl
: a colorless flammable easily evaporated liquid that is used to dissolve things and that is the substance in fermented and distilled liquors that can make one drunk

called also ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol

Medical Definition

ethanol

noun
eth·​a·​nol ˈeth-ə-ˌnȯl How to pronounce ethanol (audio) -ˌnōl How to pronounce ethanol (audio)
: a colorless volatile flammable liquid C2H5OH that is the intoxicating agent in liquors and is also used as a solvent

called also ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol

see alcohol sense 1

More from Merriam-Webster on ethanol

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