One of the mysteries of the English language finally explained.
Each of three isomeric crystalline compounds present in coal-tar creosote, used as disinfectants.
the ortho-, meta-, and para-methyl derivatives of phenol; chemical formula: CH₃C₆H₄OH
- ‘Toilet and glass cleaners contain ammonia, cresol, ethanol, and phenol, all of which can irritate or burn your skin and lungs.’
- ‘Sebacic acid can be synthesized from phenols and cresols, but castor oil oxidation is considered a ‘greener’ process.’
- ‘Our results support the theory of toluene genotoxicity, under conditions of higher exposure, because the percentage of reactive metabolites finally biotransformed to cresols and benzyl mercapturic acid was very small.’
- ‘We measured unconjugated, glucuronic acid-conjugated, and sulfuric acid-conjugated cresols in the patient's biological fluids.’
Mid 19th century: from creosote + -ol.
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