-yl \-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.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)