1. The intoxicating agent in fermented and distilled liquors; used pure or denatured as a solvent or in medicines and colognes and cleaning solutions and rocket fuel; proposed as a renewable clean-burning additive to petrol
   "ethyl alcohol is commonly used as a biofuel";
   - ethanol, fermentation alcohol, grain alcohol
    
2. Nonflavored alcohol of 95 percent or 190 proof used for blending with straight whiskies and in making gin and liqueurs
   "The distillery used ethyl alcohol as a base for their flavoured vodkas";
   - neutral spirits

Type of: alcohol, alcoholic beverage, alcoholic drink, booze [informal], inebriant, intoxicant, juice [N. Amer, informal], plant product

Part of: gasohol

Encyclopedia: Ethyl alcohol