alkyl

A1L1K5Y4L1
/ˈælkaɪl//ˈælkɪl/

noun

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.

Similar
alkyl groupalkyl radical
OriginAncient Greek ῡ̔́λη (hū́lē) ← Proto-Indo-European *swel-der.? ← English alc(ohol) →
Less commonScrabble 12
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Meanings

nounalkyl (plural alkyls)

plural alkyls

  1. chemistryAny 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.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounany of a series of univalent groups of the general formula CnH2n+1 derived from aliphatic hydrocarbons

Similar
alkyl groupalkyl radical
Broader
groupradicalchemical group

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  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. Englishalkyl

From alc(ohol) + -yl.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan alquil
  • alquilunivalent radical of the general formula CnH2n+1
Chinese Mandarin 烷基
  • 烷基 (wánjī)univalent radical of the general formula CnH2n+1
Danish alkyl
  • alkylunivalent radical of the general formula CnH2n+1
Finnish alkyyli
  • alkyyliunivalent radical of the general formula CnH2n+1
French alkyle
  • alkyleunivalent radical of the general formula CnH2n+1
German Alkyl
  • Alkylunivalent radical of the general formula CnH2n+1
Hungarian alkil, alkilcsoport
  • alkilunivalent radical of the general formula CnH2n+1
  • alkilcsoportunivalent radical of the general formula CnH2n+1
  • alkilgyökunivalent radical of the general formula CnH2n+1
Indonesian alkil
  • alkilunivalent radical of the general formula CnH2n+1
Irish ailcil
  • ailcilunivalent radical of the general formula CnH2n+1
Italian alchile
  • alchileunivalent radical of the general formula CnH2n+1
Norwegian Bokmål alkyl
  • alkylunivalent radical of the general formula CnH2n+1
Polish alkil
  • alkilunivalent radical of the general formula CnH2n+1
Portuguese alquila
  • alquilaunivalent radical of the general formula CnH2n+1
Romanian alchil
  • alchilunivalent radical of the general formula CnH2n+1
Russian алки́л
  • алки́л (alkíl)univalent radical of the general formula CnH2n+1
Spanish alquilo
  • alquilounivalent radical of the general formula CnH2n+1
Swedish alkyl
  • alkylunivalent radical of the general formula CnH2n+1
Vietnamese gốc than nhẹ đầy, gốc hoàn chất 烷
  • gốc than nhẹ đầyunivalent radical of the general formula CnH2n+1
  • gốc hoàn chất 烷univalent radical of the general formula CnH2n+1

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Kayll
Cite this entry
APA

alkyl. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alkyl

MLA

“alkyl.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alkyl. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “alkyl,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alkyl.

Source: alkyl on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.