\-yl\ [Gr. ? wood, material.] (Chem.)
A suffix used as a characteristic termination of chemical
radicals; as in ethyl, carbonyl, hydroxyl, etc.
Note: -yl was first used in 1832 by Liebig and W["o]hler in
      naming benzoyl, in the sense of stuff, or fundamental
      material, then in 1834 by Dumas and Peligot in naming
      methyl, in the sense of wood. After this -yl was
      generally used as in benzoyl, in the sense of stuff,
      characteristic ground, fundamental material.