Standard Lemma guide

glycerol

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈɡlɪs.ə.rɒl/
  • US: /ˈɡlɪs.ə.rɔl/
  • US, cot-caught-merger: /ˈɡlɪs.ə.rɑl/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: G L IH1 S ER0 OW2 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

1,2,3-trihydroxy-propane or propan-1,2,3-triol; a trihydric alcohol

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, organic-chemistry, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A syrupy sweet liquid obtained as a by-product in the manufacture of soap from animal or vegetable oils and fats; it is used as an antifreeze, a plasticizer, and a food sweetener and in the manufacture of dynamite, cosmetics etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a sweet syrupy trihydroxy alcohol obtained by saponification of fats and oils

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: glycerin, glycerine

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: alcohol

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Ancient Greek γλῠκερός (glŭkerós) Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Indo-European *-iHnos Proto-Italic *-īnos Latin -īnus French -in Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-eh2 Proto-Italic *-ā Latin -am Old French -e French -e French -ine French glycérine English glycerine Akkadian 𒎎𒋆𒁉𒍣𒁕 (guḫlum)bor. Aramaic כוחלא (kuḥlā)bor. Arabic كُحْل (kuḥl) Andalusian Arabic اَلْكُحُول (al-kuḥūl)bor. Medieval Latin alcoholder. Middle English alcofol English alcohol English -ol English glycerol From glycerine + -ol.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 甘油 (gānyóu) — a sweet syrupy oily liquid
  • French: glycérol — a sweet syrupy oily liquid
  • Japanese: グリセリン (guriserin) — a sweet syrupy oily liquid
  • Japanese: グリセロール (guriserōru) — a sweet syrupy oily liquid
  • Korean: 글리세롤 (geulliserol) — a sweet syrupy oily liquid
  • Māori: nonireka — a sweet syrupy oily liquid
  • Polish: glicerol — a sweet syrupy oily liquid