acetaldehyde
nounUS /ˌæs.ɪˈtæl.dəˌhaɪd/
Etymology From acet- + aldehyde.
1
Chemistry, Natural sciences, Organic chemistry, Physical sciences A colourless organic compound, CH₃CHO, occurring widely in nature and being produced on a large scale in industry.
- When you have a drink, your body turns the ethanol that’s present in the alcoholic beverage into a “really nasty substance” called acetaldehyde, which can damage your DNA, said Timothy Stockwell, an alcohol researcher at the University of Victoria in Canada.2025 May 20, Caroline Hopkins Legaspi, quoting Timothy Stockwell, “Is There a Least Bad Alcohol?”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 20 May 2025:
- Derived terms
- acetaldehydemia, paracetaldehyde, phenylacetaldehyde, trichloroacetaldehyde