A chemical solution containing formaldehyde, used in medical and scientific laboratories for preserving tissues and specimens.
From formaldehyde (form- + aldehyde) + -ol (chemical suffix from Latin oleum, 'oil'). The chemical suffix -ol indicates it's a compound with a hydroxyl group.
Formol was the preferred name for formaldehyde solutions in European labs, especially before WWI—it's a perfectly clear chemical name, yet English speakers stuck with the longer 'formaldehyde,' showing how first names win even when shorter ones exist.
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