Ethanol definition

ethənôl, ethənōl; Brit also ēthənōl
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An alcohol obtained from the fermentation of sugars and starches or by chemical synthesis. It is the intoxicating ingredient of alcoholic beverages, and is also used as a solvent, in explosives, and as an additive to or replacement for petroleum-based fuels. Also called ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol. Chemical formula: C2H6O.
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Specifically, this alcohol as a fuel.
noun
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(organic chemistry) A simple aliphatic alcohol formally derived from ethane by replacing one hydrogen atom with a hydroxyl group: CH3-CH2-OH.
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Other Word Forms

Noun

Singular:
ethanol
Plural:
ethanols

Origin of ethanol

  • Contracted from ethyl + alcohol. Ethyl is from Ancient Greek αἰθήρ (aithēr, “ether”), influenced by German Äthyl.

    From Wiktionary

Ethanol Sentence Examples

  • Many large farms in the Midwest have planted all or part of their land area to take advantage of the government subsidies which are offered for corn production to supply the ethanol production needs.

  • Some experts feel that emissions caused by the use of petroleum-based fuels to farm the corn and produce the ethanol may be greater than the emissions saved using ethanol as an alternative fuel.

  • Some of these studies base their findings on ethanol, a biofuel made from corn, and declare that biofuels will be too expensive and come at a cost to the world food supply.

  • The main sources of sugar required to produce ethanol come from fuel or energy crops.

  • Aviation grade ethanol, (AGE-85) is an 85 percent ethanol blended fuel that is beginning to replace 100 octane low lead aviation gasoline, which has been the standard fuel for reciprocating engine aircraft since World War II.

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Words near ethanol in the Dictionary