glycerol

[glis-uh-rawl, -rol] /ˈglɪs əˌrɔl, -ˌrɒl/
noun
1.
a colorless, odorless, syrupy, sweet liquid, C 3 H 8 O 3 , usually obtained by the saponification of natural fats and oils: used for sweetening and preserving food, in the manufacture of cosmetics, perfumes, inks, and certain glues and cements, as a solvent and automobile antifreeze, and in medicine in suppositories and skin emollients.
Also called glycerin, glycerine.
Origin
1880-85; glycer(in) + -ol1
Examples from the web for glycerol
  • The bottle actually contained glycerol, not fructose.
  • Its fuel is a mixture of glycerol and sodium borohydride.
  • glycerol drives out the water molecules that normally scatter light and render skin opaque.
  • glycerol maintains the protein solution at very low temperature, without freezing.
British Dictionary definitions for glycerol

glycerol

/ˈɡlɪsəˌrɒl/
noun
1.
a colourless or pale yellow odourless sweet-tasting syrupy liquid; 1,2,3-propanetriol: a by-product of soap manufacture, used as a solvent, antifreeze, plasticizer, and sweetener (E422). Formula: C3H8O3 Also called (not in technical usage) glycerine, glycerin
Word Origin
C19: from glycer(ine) + -ol1
Word Origin and History for glycerol
n.

1884, from glycerine + -ol, suffix denoting alcohols.

glycerol in Medicine

glycerol glyc·er·ol (glĭs'ə-rôl', -rōl')
n.
A sweet syrupy fluid obtained by the saponification of fats and fixed oils, used as a solvent, a skin emollient, and as a vehicle and sweetening agent; it is also used by injection or in suppository form for constipation and orally to reduce ocular tension.

glycerol in Science
glycerol
  (glĭs'ə-rôl')   
A sweet, syrupy liquid obtained from animal fats and oils or by the fermentation of glucose. It is used as a solvent, sweetener, and antifreeze and in making explosives and soaps. Glycerol consists of a propane molecule attached to three hydroxyl (OH) groups. Also called glycerin, glycerine. Chemical formula: C3H8O3.