Phenol is a compound that contains a benzene ring and a hydroxyl group. In chemistry, alcohols are defined as compounds that contain a hydroxyl group and a hydrocarbon chain. Therefore, based on this definition, phenol is not an alcohol.

However, if we look at the structure of phenol, we can see that it does contain a hydroxyl group. This means that phenol has some characteristics of an alcohol. However, phenol’s structure is different from the structure of other alcohols because it contains a benzene ring. This benzene ring gives phenol its unique properties and characteristics that are different from those of alcohols.

So, based on the structural characteristics of phenol and alcohols, we can say that phenol is not an alcohol. However, if we only look at the fact that phenol contains a hydroxyl group, then it does have some characteristics of an alcohol. Therefore, the answer to the question “Is phenol an alcohol?” cannot be simply yes or no. It depends on the context and the definition of alcohol we are using.