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Glite Dictionary
dihydric alcohol

dihydric alcohol

7.4
A chemical with two OH groups in each molecule, like ethylene glycol
  • noun
  • /ˈdaɪˌhaɪdrɪk ˈæl.kə.hɔl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : alcohol dihidrico
  • Ethylene glycol is a common example of a dihydric alcohol used in antifreeze solutions.

Examples

  • The presence of two -OH groups makes a dihydric alcohol more reactive than a monohydric alcohol.

  • Many dihydric alcohols are used in antifreeze formulations.

  • Scientists studied the properties of the new dihydric alcohol in various chemical reactions.

  • A common dihydric alcohol is ethylene glycol.

  • Ethylene glycol is a widely used dihydric alcohol found in car antifreeze and industrial applications.

  • The scientist explained that a dihydric alcohol contains two hydroxyl groups, making it versatile for chemical reactions.

  • In laboratory settings, many experiments utilize dihydric alcohols for their unique chemical properties.

Synonyms

glycol
vsdihydric alcohol
  • Specialized
11 7.4

A clear, thick liquid used as antifreeze and to dissolve things

is the general chemical term without implying a specific use
diol
vsdihydric alcohol
  • Specialized
8.5

A chemical that has two OH groups on different carbon atoms

allows simply two hydroxyl groups without specifying their positions

Surface Forms

dihydric alcohol singular
dihydric alcohols plural

Morphology

dihydric + alcohol

The term composes a modifier meaning 'dihydric' (two hydric groups) with 'alcohol' (a molecule bearing –OH), so the intended meaning — an alcohol with two hydroxyl groups (a glycol) — follows from the parts. However, 'dihydric' is a technical, morphology-based item (di- + hydric) that many B1 learners will not know or map onto 'two hydroxyl groups' without some domain knowledge, so the relation is only partially predictable.

Etymology

Dihydric alcohol breaks into parts: di- means 'two' and alcohol refers to a chemical with -OH groups. So a dihydric alcohol is a molecule with two -OH parts, also called a 'glycol', and imagining it as a tiny object with two sticky hands helps explain why it reacts more in chemical reactions.