Plural of glycol; a group of organic compounds that are alcohols containing two hydroxyl (OH) groups, commonly used in antifreeze and cosmetics.
From 'glyc-' (sugar, from Greek 'glykys') + '-ol' (alcohol suffix). First synthesized in the 1800s, glycols became industrial workhorses for their anti-freezing and humectant properties.
Ethylene glycol in your car's antifreeze and propylene glycol in your makeup do the exact same thing—they lower freezing point and pull moisture—so your radiator and your skin benefit from basically the same chemistry!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.