An archaic or alternative spelling of alcohol, referring to a liquid chemical compound that can make people drunk or be used as a fuel or solvent.
From Dutch and German 'alkohol', which came from Arabic 'al-kuhl' meaning 'the essence' or 'the powder', originally referring to powdered antimony used for eye makeup. The term evolved to describe distilled spirits and eventually any organic compound with a hydroxyl group (-OH).
The Arabic root 'kuhl' literally meant a fine powder, because ancient chemists first encountered alcohol as a distilled essence—a powder-like concentrate! This connection between ancient cosmetics and modern chemistry shows how trade routes and cultural exchange shaped scientific vocabulary.
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