ethyl ether
- noun
- /ˈɛθəl ˈiːθər/
- Archaic
:
éter etílico
- Before safer agents were developed, ethyl ether was commonly used to induce surgical anesthesia.
Examples
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In the lab, we used ethyl ether as a solvent.
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The laboratory strictly controls the storage of ethyl ether due to its high flammability.
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Early experiments in anesthesia often relied on ethyl ether for its effectiveness and availability.
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The doctor administered ethyl ether for anesthesia.
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Before safer agents were developed, ethyl ether was commonly used to induce surgical anesthesia.
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Early experiments in anesthesia often relied on ethyl ether for its effectiveness and availability.
-
The laboratory strictly controls the storage of ethyl ether due to its high flammability.
Synonyms
4
8.4
A clear, strong-smelling liquid once used to make patients sleep during surgery
A clear, very flammable liquid once used to make people sleep during surgery and to dissolve chemicals
A clear liquid that catches fire easily, once used to make people sleep for operations and as a lab solvent
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun is a straightforward modifier+head compound: 'ethyl' names the C2H5 group and 'ether' names the chemical class, so the combined meaning ('an ether containing ethyl groups' / the common solvent diethyl ether) is directly derivable from the parts. Although technical vocabulary, the semantic composition is regular and cross-linguistically transparent, so a learner who knows both constituents would predict the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Ethyl ether mixes ethyl, a chemists' label for a small chemical part, and ether, an old word for a very light, airy substance. This image of a small chemical piece plus a light liquid helps explain why ethyl ether is a liquid that evaporates quickly and is flammable, and why it was once used 'to make people sleep' as an anesthetic and as a solvent.