gasohol
UK[ˈɡæsəhɒl]US[ˈɡæsəhɔːl]
n
A fuel for internal combustion engines consisting of a blend of gasoline and ethanol.
Morpheme Breakdown
gas
o
hol
gas
gasoline
o
connective
hol
alcohol
Etymology
The word 'gasohol' is a modern portmanteau, a blend created in the late 20th century to name a new fuel mixture. It is formed by telescoping the words 'gasoline' and 'alcohol' (specifically ethanol), using the first syllable of 'gasoline' and the last syllable of 'alcohol', joined by the connective 'o' common in technical compounds like 'gasometer'. This construction directly and transparently signals its composition. The term reflects a technological and economic response to oil scarcity, promoting renewable fuel alternatives by combining a familiar fossil fuel ('gas') with a bio-derived component ('hol' from alcohol).
Analysis
Structure: gas (gasoline) + o (connective) + hol (alcohol)
'gas' is a shortened form of 'gasoline', a liquid fuel derived from petroleum (originally from the word 'gas', a New Latin coinage from Greek 'khaos'). 'o' is a connecting vowel, often used in scientific and technical compound words. 'hol' is a shortened form of 'alcohol', a liquid intoxicant or fuel, from Arabic 'al-kuḥl'.
Examples
Many service stations in the region now offer gasohol as an alternative to pure gasoline.
The car's engine required slight modification to run efficiently on gasohol.
Government incentives were introduced to encourage the production and use of gasohol.