Definition

1. Noun:
   • A chemical compound: "wood spirit" is a common name for methanol, a type of simple, toxic alcohol. It is a colorless, volatile, and flammable liquid originally obtained by distilling wood.

Usage

• The term "wood spirit" is primarily used in historical, industrial, or chemical contexts to refer to methanol.
• It is often used to distinguish this substance from "ethyl alcohol" (ethanol), which is the drinkable type of alcohol.

Examples

• Noun:
  • Early chemists produced wood spirit through the destructive distillation of wood.
  • Due to its toxicity, wood spirit must never be consumed as a substitute for beverage alcohol.

Advanced Usage

• "Pyroxylic spirit": An archaic synonym for wood spirit, also referring to impure methanol.
  • In old recipes, pyroxylic spirit was listed as a solvent.

Variants and Related Words

• Methanol (n): The systematic chemical name for wood spirit (CH₃OH).
  • Methanol is used as an industrial feedstock.
• Methyl alcohol (n): Another common name for the same compound.
  • The label warned that the cleaner contained methyl alcohol.

Synonyms

• Carbinol: An older name for methanol, now rarely used in general contexts.
• Pyroxylic spirit: (Historical) Impure methanol from wood distillation.

Notes on Meaning

• The core meaning of "wood spirit" is specifically methanol. It does not refer to ethanol (the alcohol in drinks) or to any mythical forest entity. The "spirit" in the name comes from the historical term for a distilled liquid (like "spirits of wine" for ethanol).

Noun

1. a light volatile flammable poisonous liquid alcohol; used as an antifreeze and solvent and fuel and as a denaturant for ethyl alcohol