Page "Alcohol" Paragraph 3

An important class of alcohols are the simple acyclic alcohols, the general formula for which is C < sub > n </ sub > H < sub > 2n + 1 </ sub > OH.

Of those, ethanol ( C < sub > 2 </ sub > H < sub > 5 </ sub > OH ) is the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, and in common speech the word alcohol refers specifically to ethanol.