methanol

noun

meth·​a·​nol ˈme-thə-ˌnȯl 

-ˌnōl

: a light volatile flammable poisonous liquid alcohol CH₃OH used especially as a solvent, antifreeze, or denaturant for ethanol and in the synthesis of other chemicals

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Wethington said workers have taken 309 air quality samples between 6 a.m. Monday and 6 a.m. Tuesday, and all have been cleared from methanol. —Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez, The Courier-Journal, 4 Apr. 2023

While Reverse is just a concept, Meyer Group is putting some of its futuristic technology to the test in upcoming ships, including Silversea's Silver Nova, which will have a liquified natural gas (LNG) fuel cell on board — a stepping stone on the way to a methanol fuel cell. —Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 30 Mar. 2023

All of the products in the FDA's latest methanol update were produced in Mexico. —Jessica Flores, USA TODAY, 8 July 2020

Exposure to significant amounts of methanol can result in nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, permanent blindness, seizures, coma, permanent damage to the nervous system or death. —Allen Kim, CNN, 7 July 2020

In addition to methanol, the barges were carrying soy and corn, officials said. —Rae Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 29 Mar. 2023

The task, Christiansen argues, would be far fairer if there were a carbon tax that gave all companies a uniform incentive to cut emissions by making the kid of investments Maersk is in nascent technologies such as barges that run on clean burning methanol made with renewable energy and biomass. —Timothy Puko, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2022

Sadly, there were a handful of cases throughout the COVID pandemic that saw some people die from using hand sanitizer brands that had methanol as an ingredient. —Yoni Heisler, BGR, 30 Apr. 2021

Tests since the incident have found no sign of methanol in air or water, officials said. —Sara Smart, CNN, 8 Apr. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

methanol

noun

meth·​a·​nol ˈmeth-ə-ˌnȯl 

-ˌnōl

: a light flammable poisonous liquid alcohol that consists of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen and is used especially as antifreeze and to dissolve things

Medical Definition

methanol

noun

meth·​a·​nol ˈmeth-ə-ˌnȯl  -ˌnōl 

: a light volatile pungent flammable poisonous liquid alcohol CH₃OH formed in the destructive distillation of wood or made synthetically and used especially as a solvent, antifreeze, or denaturant for ethanol and in the synthesis of other chemicals

called also carbinol, methyl alcohol, wood alcohol