diethyl ether
- noun
- /ˈdaɪˌɛθəl ˈiːθər/
- Archaic
:
éter dietílico
- When I worked in the hospital, we used diethyl ether as an anesthetic during minor surgeries.
Examples
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First, you know that phenyl acetate is soluble in diethyl ether and that diethyl ether is insoluble in water.
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First, you know that phenyl acetate is soluble in diethyl ether and that diethyl ether is insoluble in water.
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In the lab, we use diethyl ether to extract essential oils from plants.
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The chemist carefully stored the diethyl ether in a cool, dark place to prevent it from igniting.
Synonyms
4
8.4
A clear, strong-smelling liquid once used to make patients sleep during surgery
A clear liquid that catches fire easily, once used to make people sleep for operations and as a lab solvent
A clear liquid that catches fire easily and was used to make people sleep during surgery and to dissolve substances
How Volatile
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is compositional: 'diethyl' specifies two ethyl groups and 'ether' names the chemical class/solvent, so together they denote an ether molecule bearing two ethyl substituents. Although this is technical chemical terminology, the meaning is directly derivable from the constituent parts, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Diethyl ether is a name that shows its parts: di- means two, ethyl is a small part of the chemical, and ether was the name for light, sweet-smelling liquids. That's why the name refers to a clear, very flammable liquid once used 'to make people sleep' in surgery and to 'dissolve other things'.