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Webster 1913 Edition

Naphtha

Naph′tha

(năf′thȧ or năp′thȧ)
,
Noun.
[L.
naphtha
, Gr.
νάφθα
, fr.Ar.
nafth
,
nifth
.]
1.
(Chem.)
The complex mixture of volatile, liquid, inflammable hydrocarbons, occurring naturally, and usually called
crude petroleum
,
mineral oil
, or
rock oil
.
Specifically:
That portion of the distillate obtained in the refinement of petroleum which is intermediate between the lighter gasoline and the heavier benzine, and has a specific gravity of about 0.7, – used as a solvent for varnishes, as a carburetant, illuminant, etc.
2.
(Chem.)
One of several volatile inflammable liquids obtained by the distillation of certain carbonaceous materials and resembling the naphtha from petroleum;
as,
Boghead naphtha
, from Boghead coal (obtained at
Boghead
, Scotland);
crude naphtha
, or
light oil
, from coal tar;
wood naphtha
, from wood, etc.
☞ This term was applied by the earlier chemical writers to a number of volatile, strong smelling, inflammable liquids, chiefly belonging to the ethers, as the sulphate, nitrate, or acetate of ethyl.
Watts.
Naphtha vitrioli
[NL., naphtha of vitriol]
(Old Chem.)
,
common ethyl ether; – formerly called
sulphuric ether
. See
Ether
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Naphtha

NAPHTHA

,
Noun.
[from nafata, to push out, as pustules, to throw out, to boil, to be angry. In Ambaric, neft or nepht, from this sense, signifies a gun or musket.]
1.
An inflammable mineral substance of the bituminous kind, of a light brown or yellowish color, sharp taste, and incapable of decomposition. By long keeping it hardens into a substance resembling vegetable resin, and becomes black. It is as inflammable as ether. It is said to issue from the earth at Baku, in Persia, and to be received into cisterns.
2.
Naphtha consists of carbon and hydrogen.

Definition 2024

naphtha

naphtha

English

Noun

naphtha ‎(countable and uncountable, plural naphthas)

  1. (dated) Naturally-occurring liquid petroleum.
  2. Any of a wide variety of aliphatic or aromatic liquid hydrocarbon mixtures distilled from petroleum or coal tar, especially as used in solvents or petrol.
    • 1918, W. B. Maxwell, chapter 7, in The Mirror and the Lamp:
      The turmoil went on—no rest, no peace. […] It was nearly eleven o'clock now, and he strolled out again. In the little fair created by the costers' barrows the evening only seemed beginning; and the naphtha flares made one's eyes ache, the men's voices grated harshly, and the girls' faces saddened one.
    • 1995, Philip Pullman, Northern Lights:
      The Common Room and the Library were lit by anbaric light, but the Scholars preferred the older, softer naphtha lamps in the Retiring Room.

Derived terms

Translations

Latin

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Ancient Greek νάφθα ‎(náphtha).

Pronunciation

Noun

naphtha f ‎(genitive napthae); first declension

  1. naphtha

Inflection

First declension.

Case Singular Plural
nominative naphtha naphthae
genitive naphthae naphthārum
dative naphthae naphthīs
accusative naphtham naphthās
ablative naphthā naphthīs
vocative naphtha naphthae

Descendants

References

Etymology

From Latin naphtha, from Ancient Greek νάφθα ‎(náphtha), ultimately from Old Persian 𐎴𐎳𐎫 ‎(naft). The Greek mediation is reflected in the spelling – ‘ph’ and ‘th’ (from ‘φ’ and ‘θ’).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈnæpθə~ˈnæfθə/

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