# phenol

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈfiːnɒl/ · frequency rank #44,999

## Definitions
1. A caustic, poisonous, white crystalline compound, C₆H₅OH, derived from benzene and used in resins, plastics, and pharmaceuticals and in dilute form as a disinfectant and antiseptic; once called carbolic acid
2. Any of a class of aromatic organic compounds having at least one hydroxyl group attached directly to the benzene ring (or other aromatic ring)

## Etymology
From French phène, from Ancient Greek φαίνω (phaínō, “to clear”), as it was used for illumination, name given by Auguste Laurente in 1836.
By surface analysis, pheno- + -ol.

## Easily confused with
- **phenom** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/phenol-vs-phenom)
- **phenolic** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/phenol-vs-phenolic)
- **penal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/penal-vs-phenol)

## Common misspellings (9)
`hpenol`, `pehnol`, `phenlo`, `phennol`, `phenoll`, `pheonl`, `phhenol`, `phneol`, `pphenol`

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