Etymology

alkyl

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Today it means: Any of a series of univalent radicals of the general formula CₙH₂ₙ₊₁ derived from aliphatic hydrocarbons. In other words, an alkane minus one hydrogen atom. Full definition →

Ancient Greek ῡ̔́λη (hū́lē) ← Proto-Indo-European *swel-der.? ← English alc(ohol)
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The story

  1. Akkadian𒎎𒋆𒁉𒍣𒁕 (guḫlum)
  2. Aramaicכוחלא (kuḥlā)
  3. Arabicكُحْل (kuḥl)
  4. Andalusian Arabicكُحُول (kuḥūl)
  5. Medieval Latinalcoho
  6. Middle Englishalcofol
  7. Englishalc(ohol)
  8. Proto-Indo-European*swel-der.?
  9. Ancient Greekῡ̔́λη (hū́lē)
  10. English todayalkyl

From alc(ohol) + -yl.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.