hydroxymethyl

H4Y4D2R1O1X8Y4M3E1T1H4Y4L1

noun

The univalent radical HO-CH₂-

OriginEnglish methyl ← German Methy ← Ancient Greek ῡ̔́λη (hū́lē) →
UncommonScrabble 38
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Meanings

nounhydroxymethyl (plural hydroxymethyls)

plural hydroxymethyls

  1. especiallyin compoundschemistryThe univalent radical HO-CH₂-

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*wed-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*wódr̥
  3. Proto-Hellenic*údōr
  4. Ancient Greekῡ̆̔́δωρ (hū̆́dōr)
  5. Ancient Greekὑδρο- (hudro-)
  6. Frenchhydro-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*ǵenh₁-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*ǵénh₁os
  9. Proto-Hellenic*génos
  10. Ancient Greekγένος (génos)
  11. Frenchhydrogène
  12. Englishhydrogen
  13. Proto-Indo-European*h₂eḱ-der.?
  14. Ancient Greekὀξύς (oxús)
  15. Ancient Greekγένος (génos)
  16. Frenchoxygène
  17. Englishoxygen
  18. Proto-Indo-European*swel-der.?
  19. Ancient Greekῡ̔́λη (hū́lē)
  20. Englishhydroxyl
  21. Englishhydroxy-
  22. Proto-Indo-European*médʰu
  23. Proto-Hellenic*métʰu
  24. Ancient Greekμέθυ (méthu)
  25. Ancient Greekῡ̔́λη (hū́lē)
  26. GermanMethy
  27. Englishmethyl
  28. Englishhydroxymethyl

From hydroxy- + methyl.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

hydroxymethyl. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hydroxymethyl

MLA

“hydroxymethyl.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hydroxymethyl. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hydroxymethyl,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hydroxymethyl.

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