Differences in Glycerol Nomenclature

Question

Could someone differentiate between the terms glycerol, glycerin, glyceryl and glyceride?

Answer 1

There is no difference between glycerol and glycerin; they both refer to propane-1,2,3-triol (already answered here).

Glyceryls refer to glycerol derivatives in which a hydrogen has been replaced (e.g. glyceryl trinitrate).

Glycerides represent a specific example of glyceryls and are fatty acid esters derived from glycerol (e.g. triacetin).