cetyl alcohol

[ seet-l ]

noun

1. a white, crystalline, water-insoluble solid, C 16 H 34 O, used chiefly as an emollient in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

cetyl alcohol

/ sēt′l /

1. A waxy alcohol used in lubricants, detergents, cosmetics, and emulsifiers. Chemical formula: C 16 H 34 O.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cetyl alcohol¹

1870–75; cet- + -yl (so called because some of its compounds are found in spermaceti)