There are several synonyms for the term "hydroxy ketone," which is a class of organic compounds that contains both a ketone group and a hydroxyl group. One common synonym is "ketol," which is an abbreviation for "ketone alcohol." Other synonyms include "aliphatic ketol," "aliphatic hydroxyketone," and "hydroxylated ketone." In addition, specific hydroxy ketones may be referred to by their chemical names, such as "2-hydroxypropanone" or "3-hydroxybutan-2-one." These compounds are commonly used as intermediates in organic synthesis and are important building blocks for a wide range of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and other industrial compounds.