methyl
Meanings
Plural: methyls
Noun
- the univalent radical CH3- derived from methane
- The univalent hydrocarbon radical, CH₃-, formally derived from methane by the loss of a hydrogen atom; a compound or part of a compound formed by the attachment of such a radical.
Origin / Etymology
Borrowed from German Methyl; compare French méthyle.
French chemists Jean-Baptiste Dumas and Eugene Peligot, after determining methanol's chemical structure, introduced "methylene" from the Ancient Greek μέθυ (méthu, “wine”) + ὕλη (húlē, “wood, material”) with the intention of highlighting its origins, "alcohol made from wood (substance)". The term "methyl" was derived in about 1840 by back-formation from "methylene", and was then applied to describe "methyl alcohol".
Synonyms
methyl group, methyl radical
Scrabble Score: 14
methyl is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL wordmethyl is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
methyl is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary