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.
Contracted from ethyl + alcohol. Ethyl is from Ancient Greek αἰθήρ (aithēr, “ether”), influenced by German Äthyl.
Sentence Examples
American ethanol policies do not "kill" the poor, but they do drive up corn prices.
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.
Greenhouse gas emission: While ethanol use is beneficial for the environment, an article in BioScience suggests that the greenhouse gasses emitted during production of the fuel cancels out that effect.
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.
Reduces air pollution: Ethanol reduces the amount of carbon monoxide and other ground-level toxic air pollutants as compared to conventional unleaded gasoline by about 10 to 30 percent.