methyl

1. (organic chemistry) The univalent hydrocarbon radical, CH₃-, formally derived from methane by the loss of a hydrogen atom; a compound or part of a compound formed by the attachment of such a radical.Examples: "You might point out in the theory of oxidation of oils, in development of rancidity in oils, that many methyls accelerate this oxidation of oils. I do not want to burden you with a lecture on chemistry but there are some methyls like iron which has both a valence of two and of three. Another example is cobalt which has a valence of both two and three."; "The southern acetates must be decarboxylated to methyls."; "The most stable form has the groups staggered and the methyls as far from each other as possible (DA^([dihedral angle]) = 180°)."