Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Noun.

[Gr. [GREEK] whale +

-yl

(Chem.)

A radical,

C16H33

, not yet isolated, but supposed to exist in a series of compounds homologous with the ethyl compounds, and derived from spermaceti.

cetyl ‎(plural cetyls)

(organic chemistry) The univalent hexadecyl radical C₁₆H₃₃- present in many waxes