What is "wood alcohol"

methanol \methanol\ n. (Chem.) The simplest alcohol of the paraffin series, CH3.OH; methyl alcohol. Called also wood alcohol. It is used as an antifreeze solvent, as a fuel, and as a denaturant for ethyl alcohol.

Syn: methyl alcohol, wood alcohol, wood spirit.

Methyl \Meth"yl\, n. [See Methylene.] (Chem.) A univalent hydrocarbon radical, CH3-, not existing alone but regarded as an essential residue of methane, and appearing as a component part of many derivatives; as, methyl alcohol, methyl ether, methyl amine, etc. [Formerly written also methule, methyle, etc.]

Methyl alcohol (Chem.), a light, volatile, inflammable liquid, CH3.OH, obtained by the distillation of wood, and hence called wood alcohol or wood spirit; tecnically referred to as methanol; -- called also methol, carbinol, etc.

Methyl amine (Chem.), a colorless, inflammable, alkaline gas, CH3.NH2, having an ammoniacal, fishy odor. It is produced artificially, and also occurs naturally in herring brine and other fishy products. It is regarded as ammonia in which a third of its hydrogen is replaced by methyl, and is a type of the class of substituted ammonias.

Methyl ether (Chem.), a light, volatile ether CH3.O.CH3, obtained by the etherification of methyl alcohol; -- called also methyl oxide or dimethyl ether.

Methyl green. (Chem.) See under Green, n.

Methyl orange. (Chem.) See Helianthin.

Methyl violet (Chem.), an artificial dye, consisting of certain methyl halogen derivatives of rosaniline.

n. (context organic compound English) The compound methyl alcohol or methanol.

n. a light volatile flammable poisonous liquid alcohol; used as an antifreeze and solvent and fuel and as a denaturant for ethyl alcohol [syn: methanol, methyl alcohol, wood spirit]