Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The univalent group OH, a characteristic component of bases, certain acids, phenols, alcohols, carboxylic and sulfonic acids, and amphoteric compounds.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A compound radical (OH) which has never been isolated, but which is a factor in a vast number of chemical compounds.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Chem.) A compound radical, or unsaturated group, HO, consisting of one atom of hydrogen and one of oxygen. It is a characteristic part of the hydrates, the alcohols, the oxygen acids, etc.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun chemistry A univalent radical or functional group (–OH) in organic chemistry; present in alcohols, phenols, carboxylic acids and certain other classes of compounds.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the monovalent group -OH in such compounds as bases and some acids and alcohols

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[hydr(o)– + ox(ygen) + –yl.]

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Examples

  • (SIMS), which allowed them to analyze the grains for a compound known as hydroxyl, which can be incorporated into apatite's chemical structure if the mineral crystallizes from magma that contains water.

    Christian Science Monitor | All Stories 2010

  • Many studies have shown that trace gases and pollutants in the lowest level of our atmosphere break down naturally, thanks to molecules called hydroxyl (OH) radicals.

    Gaea Times (by Simple Thoughts) Breaking News and incisive views 24/7 2009

  • Rather, coal power production and other industrial processes release sulfur dioxide -- the same gas that billows from volcanoes -- that later reacts with atmospheric molecules called hydroxyl radicals to produce sulfates as a byproduct.

    PhysOrg.com - latest science and technology news stories 2009

  • As a former high school chemistry teacher, I would often teach my students about the dangers of dihydrogen monoxide or DHMO, also known as hydroxyl acid.

    Summit Daily News - Top Stories Timothy Faust Dillon 2009

  • Many studies have shown that trace gases and pollutants in the lowest level of our atmosphere break down naturally, thanks to molecules called hydroxyl (OH) radicals.

    National Geographic News 2009

  • Rather, coal power production and other industrial processes release sulfur dioxide -- the same gas that billows from volcanoes -- that later reacts with atmospheric molecules called hydroxyl radicals to produce sulfates as a byproduct.

    PhysOrg.com - latest science and technology news stories 2009

  • As a former high school chemistry teacher, I would often teach my students about the dangers of dihydrogen monoxide or DHMO, also known as hydroxyl acid.

    Summit Daily News - Top Stories 2009

  • Methane is destroyed by reaction with an atmospheric "cleanser" called the hydroxyl free radical, or OH.

    News24 2008

  • To the astronomers 'surprise, Spitzer picked up the signature of rapidly spinning fragments of water molecules, called hydroxyl, or OH.

    News and Features - NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2008

  • Methane can be destroyed, however, by reactions involving an atmospheric "cleanser" called the hydroxyl free radical (OH).

    Climate Ark Climate Change & Global Warming RSS Newsfeed 2008

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