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Glite Dictionary
methanal

methanal

9.9
A colorless poisonous gas that people use to kill germs and preserve things
  • noun
  • /ˈmɛθənæl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : metanal
  • Laboratory safety procedures require careful handling of methanal due to its toxic properties.

Examples

  • Exposure to high levels of methanal can irritate the respiratory system and eyes.

  • Industrial production of resins often involves the use of methanal as a reactant.

  • The laboratory uses methanal for various experiments.

  • Is methanal safe to use in household products?

  • Exposure to high levels of methanal can irritate the respiratory system and eyes.

  • Laboratory safety procedures require careful handling of methanal due to its toxic properties.

  • Industrial production of resins often involves the use of methanal as a reactant.

Synonyms

formaldehyde
vsmethanal
  • Specialized
26 6.8

A colorless poisonous gas with a strong smell used to preserve things like lab samples and make chemicals

is formed from methanol and used commonly as a disinfectant

Surface Forms

methanal singular
methanals plural

Morphology

methanal = methane (opaque) = methan + al

The word is a technical chemical name built from the methane stem plus the aldehyde suffix, but this relationship is not transparent to average learners.

Etymology

The word methanal is a chemical name made of two parts: meth- as in methane, meaning 'one carbon', and -al, which marks an 'aldehyde', a simple reactive chemical group. So, methanal is the smallest aldehyde, a tiny, strong-smelling gas also called formaldehyde that can kill germs but is poisonous, which is why it is used as a disinfectant and preservative.