methanol
Methanol (noun) means a simple, toxic alcohol (CH3OH) used as a solvent, fuel, and antifreeze. Example: “Methanol poisoning can cause blindness if untreated.”
How to use methanol
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA toxic alcohol used in industry, not for drinking.
Methanol is poisonous and must never be confused with ethanol, the alcohol in drinks — swapping them has caused fatal poisonings.
Word forms
methanols plural
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
_____ poisoning can cause blindness if untreated.
Etymology
From methane + -ol (the suffix used for alcohols). The name traces back to French chemists in the 1800s who described it as "wood alcohol" using Greek roots for "wine" and "wood".
Synonyms
View more →Rhymes for methanol
See all rhymes for methanol →Frequently asked questions
What does “methanol” mean?
The word “methanol” means a simple, toxic alcohol (CH3OH) used as a solvent, fuel, and antifreeze. In plain terms, a toxic alcohol used in industry, not for drinking.
How do you pronounce “methanol”?
“Methanol” is pronounced MEH-thuh-nol (/ˈmɛθənɒl/ in IPA).
How do you use “methanol” in a sentence?
Here is “methanol” used in a sentence: “Methanol poisoning can cause blindness if untreated.”
What part of speech is “methanol”?
“Methanol” is a noun.
Where does the word “methanol” come from?
The word “methanol” dates back to around 1800 and comes from French. From methane + -ol (the suffix used for alcohols). The name traces back to French chemists in the 1800s who described it as "wood alcohol" using Greek roots for "wine" and "wood".