alcohol

(AL-kuh-hol) A chemical substance found in beer, wine, and liquor. Alcohol is also found in some medicines, mouthwashes, essential oils (scented liquid taken from plants), and household products.

(AL-kuh-hall): Wine, beer, or liquor (such as gin or whiskey).

A group of organic compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen; a series of molecules composed of a hydrocarbon plus a hydroxyl group; includes methanol, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol and others.

A general class of hydrocarbons that contain a hydroxyl group (OH). The term "alcohol" is often used interchangeably with the term "ethanol," even though there are many types of alcohol. (See Butanol, Ethanol, Methanol.)