alcohol Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a liquor or brew containing alcohol as the active agent
    alcoholic beverage; intoxicant; alcoholic drink; inebriant.
    • alcohol (or drink) ruined him
  2. noun any of a series of volatile hydroxyl compounds that are made from hydrocarbons by distillation

WordNet

Al"co*hol noun
Etymology
Cf. F. alcool, formerly written alcohol, Sp. alcohol alcohol, antimony, galena, OSp. alcofol; all fr. Ar. al-kohl a powder of antimony or galena, to paint the eyebrows with. The name was afterwards applied, on account of the fineness of this powder, to highly rectified spirits, a signification unknown in Arabia. The Sp. word has bot meanings. Cf. Alquifou.
Definitions
  1. An impalpable powder. Obs.
  2. The fluid essence or pure spirit obtained by distillation. Obs. Boyle.
  3. Pure spirit of wine; pure or highly rectified spirit (called also ethyl alcohol); the spirituous or intoxicating element of fermented or distilled liquors, or more loosely a liquid containing it in considerable quantity. It is extracted by simple distillation from various vegetable juices and infusions of a saccharine nature, which have undergone vinous fermentation. ✍ As used in the U. S. "Pharmacop&oe;ia, alcohol contains 91 per cent by weight of ethyl alcohol and 9 per cent of water; and diluted alcohol (proof spirit) contains 45.5 per cent by weight of ethyl alcohol and 54.5 per cent of water.
  4. (Organic Chem.) A class of compounds analogous to vinic alcohol in constitution. Chemically speaking, they are hydroxides of certain organic radicals; as, the radical ethyl forms common or ethyl alcohol (C2H5OH); methyl forms methyl alcohol (CH3.OH) or wood spirit; amyl forms amyl alcohol (C5H11.OH) or fusel oil, etc.

Webster 1913