Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Methane
Meth′ane
,Noun.
[See
Methal
.] (Chem.)
A light, colorless, gaseous, inflammable hydrocarbon,
CH4
; marsh gas. It is the simplest of the aliphatic hydrocarbons. See Marsh gas
, under Gas
. Methane series
(Chem.)
, a series of saturated hydrocarbons, of which methane is the first member and type, and (because of their general chemical inertness and indifference) called also the
paraffin (little affinity) series
. The lightest members are gases, as methane, ethane; intermediate members are liquids, as hexane, heptane, etc. (found in benzine, kerosene, etc.); while the highest members are white, waxy, or fatty solids, as paraffin proper.Definition 2024
methane
methane
See also: méthane
English
Noun
methane (countable and uncountable, plural methanes)
- (organic chemistry, uncountable) The simplest aliphatic hydrocarbon, CH4, being a constituent of natural gas.
- Cattle emit a large amount of methane.
- (organic chemistry, countable) Any of very many derivatives of methane.
Synonyms
- methyl hydride (appears in some chemistry literature)
- carbon tetrahydride (rare, systematic name)
Derived terms
- methane gas (an often-used term, although it really means methane)
Translations
the compound CH4
|
|
Anagrams
References
- “methane” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary (2001).