different between methane vs paraffin

English

Etymology

methyl +? -ane

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: m?th'?n IPA^(key): /?mi??e?n/
• (US, Canada) enPR: m?th'?n, IPA^(key): /?m??e?n/
• Rhymes: -??e?n

Noun

methane (countable and uncountable, plural methanes)

1. (organic chemistry, uncountable) The simplest aliphatic hydrocarbon, CH?, being a constituent of natural gas, and one of the most abundant greenhouse gases.

   Synonyms: (appears in some chemistry literature) methyl hydride, (rare, systematic name) carbon tetrahydride

   Hypernym: greenhouse gas
2. (organic chemistry, countable) Any of very many derivatives of methane.

Derived terms

Translations

Further reading

• methane on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

References

Anagrams

• meaneth

English

Alternative forms

• paraffine

Etymology

Latin paraffinum, from parum (too little) + affinis (related, affinity). Therefore low affinity or being chemically neutral

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?pæ?.?.f?n/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?p??.?.f?n/

Noun

paraffin (countable and uncountable, plural paraffins)

1. (Britain) A petroleum-based thin and colorless fuel oil
   • 1919, W. Somerset Maugham, The Moon and Sixpence, chapter 57

     She poured paraffin on the dry floors and on the pandanus-mats, and then she set fire.

   Synonym: kerosene

2. (chemistry) Any member of the alkane hydrocarbons.
3. Paraffin wax.

Derived terms

• chloroparaffin

Translations

Verb

paraffin (third-person singular simple present paraffins, present participle paraffining, simple past and past participle paraffined)

1. To impregnate or treat with paraffin.
2. To embed in paraffin wax.

Translations