Aldehyde
/ˈæl.dɪ.haɪd/noun
A class of organic compounds containing a carbonyl group bonded to a hydrogen atom, including formaldehyde and acetaldehyde.
Did you know?The name was coined in the nineteenth century from a Latin phrase meaning “alcohol dehydrogenated,” because aldehydes can be produced by removing hydrogen from certain alcohols.
Etymological Timeline
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
al-kuḥl
“A finely powdered substance, especially kohl; the source of the word “alcohol””
Medieval Latin
Latin
alcohol
“A purified or finely refined substance, later applied to distilled spirit”
19th Century
Latin
alcohol dehydrogenatus
““Alcohol dehydrogenated,” the descriptive phrase behind the modern name”
1835
German
Aldehyd
“A term introduced by Justus Liebig for compounds formed through alcohol dehydrogenation”
19th Century
English
aldehyde
“The English chemical term for this class of organic compounds”
Modern English
English
aldehyde
“An organic compound containing a terminal carbonyl group bonded to hydrogen”