Ethanol /ˈɛθənɒl/, also called ethyl alcohol /ˈɛθɪl/, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, ordrinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid with the structural formula CH₃CH₂OH, often abbreviated as C₂H₅OH or C₂H₆O. It is also used as a psychoactive drugand is one of the oldest recreational drugs still used by humans. Ethanol can cause alcohol intoxication when consumed. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a solvent, and as a fuel. In common usage, it is often referred to simply as alcohol or spirits.