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Definition of methyl

methyl

/ˈmɛθ.əl/
meth · yl
Plural:methyls
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methyl Lexical Profile

methyl Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

An alkyl radical containing one carbon atom and three hydrogen atoms (CH3), typically found as a functional group in many organic compounds.

Example

"During the biological reaction, a methyl group is transferred to the DNA molecule to regulate gene expression."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for methyl

• Rhymes for methyl

• Nearby Words

methodology
meths
methuselah
methyl
meticulosity
meticulous
meticulously

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in French as 'méthyle' in 1834 by chemists Jean-Baptiste Dumas and Eugène Péligot. It was derived from Greek 'methy' (wine) and 'hylē' (wood or matter), originally referring to methylene as 'wood alcohol'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Methyl. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/methyl
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