noun
1. : pentyl alcohol
2. : either of two commercially produced mixtures of pentyl alcohols used chiefly in making esters and as solvents:
a. : the optically active mixture consisting of isopentyl alcohol and active amyl alcohol obtained from fusel oil — called also fermentation amyl alcohol, isoamyl alcohol
b. : the optically inactive mixture consisting of seven pentyl alcohols obtained by chlorination of pentanes from natural-gas gasoline or petroleum followed by hydrolysis — called also synthetic amyl alcohol