dimethyl

D2I1M3E1T1H4Y4L1
UK/daɪˈmiː.θɪl/UK/daɪˈmɛθ.ɪl/US/daɪˈmɛ.θəl/

noun

Two methyl groups in a molecule.

OriginEnglish methyl ← German Methy ← Ancient Greek ῡ̔́λη (hū́lē) →
Less commonScrabble 17
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Meanings

noundimethyl (uncountable)
  1. in compoundsuncountablechemistryTwo methyl groups in a molecule.

    By analysing data from the James Webb Space Telescope, the researchers found evidence of dimethyl sulfide and dimethyl disulfide in the atmosphere of the planet known as K2-18b. The planet is 124 light-years away; one light-year is equivalent to nearly 6 trillion miles.

    2025 April 18, “Scientists detect strong evidence of life on an alien planet”, in France 24, archived from the original on 18 Apr 2025

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
bimethyl

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*dwóh₁
  2. Proto-Indo-European*dwi-
  3. Proto-Hellenic*dwi-
  4. Ancient Greekδῐ- (dĭ-)
  5. Latindi-
  6. Englishdi-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*médʰu
  8. Proto-Hellenic*métʰu
  9. Ancient Greekμέθυ (méthu)
  10. Proto-Indo-European*swel-der.?
  11. Ancient Greekῡ̔́λη (hū́lē)
  12. GermanMethy
  13. Englishmethyl
  14. Englishdimethyl

From di- + methyl.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with dimethyl

methylethelethyl
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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