# menthol vs methyl

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### menthol
*noun · IPA /ˈmɛnθɒl/ · frequency rank #38,499*
A cyclic monoterpene alcohol; the major component of the essential oil of peppermint; used in pharmaceutical preparations as an antitussive and antipruritic agent, as a nasal decongestant, and in menthol cigarettes.

### methyl
*noun · IPA /ˈmɛθaɪl/ · frequency rank #21,869*
The univalent hydrocarbon radical, CH₃-, formally derived from methane by the loss of a hydrogen atom; a compound or part of a compound formed by the attachment of such a radical.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/menthol-vs-methyl