Amyl
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Amyl is a linguistic root word derived from the Latin amylum, from Greek αμυλον, meaning starch. It has two distinct but related meanings, in organic chemistry and biochemistry.
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Biochemistry
In biochemistry, amyl means "pertaining to starch". Many moderately complex biological chemicals related to starch contain the root, for example:
Note that in this usage, it is a part of the word, and becomes "amylo" when preceding a consonant.
Chemistry
In organic chemistry, amyl is the old trivial name for the radical called pentyl under the IUPAC nomenclature: that is, -C5H11. This usage may derive from the presence of amyl alcohol in fusel oil, itself often fermented from starches. In this usage, amyl (normally) remains a separate word and it does not become "amylo" before a consonant.
Several important amyl/pentyl compounds are still widely known by their older, amyl names, including:
There are eight possible isomers of amyl; see under pentyl for more information. Frequently chemicals sold commercially as amyl compounds will be a mixture of several isomers.
Slang
Amyl is also a slang term for amyl nitrite when used as a recreational drug.