methyl

Meaning

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.

Synonyms

methyl group

methyl radical

Translations

metilo

metile

méthyle

metil

Methyl

metil

μεθύλιο

methyl-

metil

radical metilo

الميثيل

grupo metilo

ميثيل

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈmɛθaɪl/

Etymology

Cognate with French: méthyle

Cognate with Ancient Greek: μέθυ

In summary

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".