methanol
noun
meth·a·nol
| \ ˈme-thə-ˌnȯl
, -ˌnōl\
, -ˌnōl\
Definition of methanol
: a light volatile flammable poisonous liquid alcohol CH3OH used especially as a solvent, antifreeze, or denaturant for ethanol and in the synthesis of other chemicals
Examples of methanol in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As forensic scientist Lawrence Kobilinsky told The Cut, many of the victims’ symptoms might suggest methanol poisoning. — Stephie Grob Plante, Vox, "Tourist deaths in the Dominican Republic are sparking concern among travelers," 26 June 2019 Overall, 59 people have been hospitalized for methanol poisonings, per data from the Health Surveillance Unit of the Ministry of Health. — Gina Martinez, Time, "Costa Rica Confirms 2 More Suspected Alcohol Poisoning Deaths, Raising Death Toll to 25," 19 Aug. 2019 Making methanol is a halfway point in our reaction, tacking one oxygen atom onto each methane molecule. — Rob Jackson, Scientific American, "To Fight Climate Change, We Should Actually Add Carbon Dioxide to the Atmosphere," 31 July 2019 The Ministry of Health advised against consuming alcohol from a number of brands because samples had tested positive for methanol adulteration. — CNN, "Tainted alcohol kills 19 in Costa Rica, ministry says, urging caution," 21 July 2019 Sellers may add methanol to increase their alcohol’s potency. — Hannah Knowles, Washington Post, "Tainted alcohol has led to 19 deaths in Costa Rica, authorities say," 20 July 2019 Some of the larger operations have a bioreactor to ferment the waste and produce methanol to fuel generators to produce electricity used in their operation. — WSJ, "Polluting the Mississippi River and the Gulf," 11 July 2019 Researchers around the world are already studying zeolites and other materials to convert methane to methanol, a valuable feedstock for the chemical industry. — Rob Jackson, Scientific American, "To Fight Climate Change, We Should Actually Add Carbon Dioxide to the Atmosphere," 31 July 2019 Consuming even a small amount of pure methanol can lead to pulmonary edema, or fluid in the lungs, and respiratory distress — two of the official causes of death listed for Day and Holmes. — Stephie Grob Plante, Vox, "Tourist deaths in the Dominican Republic are sparking concern among travelers," 26 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'methanol.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for methanol
methanol
noun
English Language Learners Definition of methanol
technical
: a poisonous alcohol that is used to keep liquids from freezing, as a fuel, etc.
See the full definition for methanol in the English Language Learners Dictionary
methanol
noun
meth·a·nol
| \ ˈmeth-ə-ˌnȯl
, -ˌnōl
\
, -ˌnōl
\
Medical Definition of methanol
: a light volatile pungent flammable poisonous liquid alcohol CH3OH formed in the destructive distillation of wood or made synthetically and used especially as a solvent, antifreeze, or denaturant for ethanol and in the synthesis of other chemicals
— called also carbinol, methyl alcohol, wood alcohol