Dictionary
lau'ryl al'cohol
Pronunciation: (lôr'il, lor'-), [key] Chem.
a compound that, depending upon purity, is either a crystalline solid or colorless liquid, C
12H
26O, obtained by the reduction of fatty acids of coconut oil: used chiefly in the manufacture of synthetic detergents.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.