methyl
noun
Simple meaning
The univalent radical CH3- derived from methane.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
mehthuhlSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈmɛθəl
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
organic chemistry
The univalent radical CH3- derived from methane
“Replacing that hydrogen atom with methyl changes the properties of the compound.”
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C1 · Advanced (estimated)
- Frequency
- Moderately Common
- Formality
- Technical
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
This meaning: The univalent radical CH3- derived from methane
Used this way, methyl is a specialist word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. This is a scientific use: it names something precisely within a field of study, so it appears in research and teaching more than in conversation.
“Replacing that hydrogen atom with methyl changes the properties of the compound.”
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Specialist/technical
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Specialized
- Connotation
- Clinical and technical
- Usage feel
- Technical and specialized
Where it naturally appears
- Science
- Academic writing
- Technical/specialist writing
Usage note
In general conversation this sense usually needs explaining — outside its field, people reach for a plainer word.
Nearby words
- methyl radical , rarer, so it draws attention
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
The univalent radical CH3- derived from methane.
A liquid ester with a strong odor of wintergreen.
A light volatile flammable poisonous liquid alcohol.
A poisonous gas or liquid (CH3Br) used to fumigate rodents, worms, etc.
Colorless soluble flammable liquid ketone used as a solvent for resins and as a paint remover and in lacquers and cements and adhesives and cleaning fluids and celluloid.
The univalent radical CH3- derived from methane.
Related words
Connected by subject or meaning, not by word formation.
Ethyl alcohol denatured with methyl alcohol to prevent its use as an alcoholic beverage.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: univalent radical CH3- derived from methane
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