ethanol
noun
eth·a·nol
ˈe-thə-ˌnȯl 
-ˌnōl
British also ˈē-
: a colorless volatile flammable liquid C2H5OH that is the intoxicating agent in liquors and is also used as a solvent and in fuel
called also ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol
Examples of ethanol in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The 15% ethanol blend is usually only available part of the year under a waiver from the Environmental Protection Agency as temperatures rise to help ease high gas prices.
—
Jennifer Jacobs,
CBS News,
24 June 2026
Today’s haul will be milled and then put through an ethanol extraction process (the ethanol comes from the distillery facility next door) and turned into vapes.
—
Will Yakowicz,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026
In some cases diesel fuel may accidentally mix with gasoline, or high-ethanol fuel such as E85 may contaminate regular gasoline.
—
John Paul Senior Manager Public Affairs and Traffic Safety Aaa Northeast,
Hartford Courant,
20 June 2026
Groundwater can reliably deliver 30 to 36 inches to a field of corn, ensuring robust yields for an ethanol plant or livestock.
—
Allen Best,
Denver Post,
14 June 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Ethanol.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ethanol. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
Kids Definition
ethanol
noun
eth·a·nol
ˈeth-ə-ˌnȯl
-ˌnōl
: a colorless flammable easily evaporated liquid that is used to dissolve things and that is the substance in fermented and distilled liquors that can make one drunk
called also ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol
Medical Definition
ethanol
noun
eth·a·nol
ˈeth-ə-ˌnȯl
-ˌnōl
: a colorless volatile flammable liquid C2H5OH that is the intoxicating agent in liquors and is also used as a solvent
called also ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol
see alcohol sense 1Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged