fusel oil

noun

fu·​sel oil ˈfyü-zəl- How to pronounce fusel oil (audio)
: an acrid oily liquid occurring in insufficiently distilled alcoholic liquors, consisting chiefly of amyl alcohol, and used especially as a source of alcohols and as a solvent

Word History

Etymology

partial translation of German Fuselöl, from Fusel "distilled spirits of poor quality," probably originally in Low German dialects, of obscure origin

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fusel oil was in 1850

Dictionary Entries Near fusel oil

Cite this Entry

“Fusel oil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fusel%20oil. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

fusel oil

noun
fu·​sel oil ˈfyü-zəl- How to pronounce fusel oil (audio)
: an acrid oily liquid occurring in insufficiently distilled alcoholic liquors, consisting chiefly of amyl alcohol, and used especially as a source of alcohols and as a solvent

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