Ultimately the word is from the Arabicكحل (al-kuḥl, "kohl, a powder used as an eyeliner"). Al- is the Arabic definitive article, equivalent to the in English; alcohol was originally used for the very fine powder produced by the sublimation of the natural mineral stibnite to form antimonysulfideSb2S3 (hence the essence or "spirit" of the substance), which was used as an antiseptic, eyeliner, and cosmetic (see kohl (cosmetics)) According to this theory, the meaning of alkuhul would have been first extended to distilled substances in general, and then narrowed to ethanol.[36]
Comments
According to this theory, the meaning of alkuhul would have been first
extended to distilled substances in general, and then narrowed to
ethanol.[36]
that's the real incoherence of the p hilosophers if you ask me