alcohol /al″kəhôl/ [Ar, alkohl, subtle essence] , 1. a preparation containing at least 92.3% and not more than 93.8% by weight of ethyl alcohol, used as a topical antiseptic and solvent. 2. a clear, colorless, volatile liquid that is miscible with water, chloroform, or ether, obtained by the fermentation of carbohydrates with yeast. 3. a compound derived from a hydrocarbon by replacing one or more hydrogen atoms with an equal number of hydroxyl groups. Depending on the number of hydroxyl groups, alcohols are classified as monohydric alcohol, dihydric alcohol, and trihydric alcohol. −alcoholic, adj., n.
