Alcohol

In chemistry, an alcohol (Arabic: al kohol) is any organic compound in which a hydroxyl group (-OH) is bound to a carbon atom of an alkyl or substituted alkyl group. The general formula for a simple acyclic alcohol is C_nH_2n+1OH.

In general usage, the word alcohol, when used alone, usually refers to ethanol, also known as grain alcohol or (older) spirits of wine. Ethanol is a strongly-smelling, colorless, volatile liquid formed by the fermentation of sugars. It also often refers to any beverage that contains ethanol (see alcoholic beverage). This sense underlies the term alcoholism (addiction to alcohol).

Other forms of alcohol are usually described with a clarifying adjective, as in isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol) or wood alcohol ('methyl alcohol, or methanol). The suffix -ol, appears in the official chemical name of all alcohols.

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