English Explanatory Dictionary

butane

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A hydrocarbon (either of the two isomers of C₄H₁₀, n-butane and 2-methylpropane) found in gaseous petroleum fractions.
  2. The n-butane isomer only.

Pronunciation

/ˈbjuːteɪn/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vininn126-butane.wav

Word forms

butane butanes

Etymology

PIE word *gʷṓws IUPAC nomenclature, from but- (“four carbon prefix”) + -ane (“alkane suffix”), the former is derived from the same stem as the foul-smelling carboxylic acid liberated in rancid butter, "butyric acid", hence cognate with butter.

Synonyms

E943a

Related words

alkane ethane methane pentane propane

Derived words

bromobutane butanediol butanedione butanethiol butanoic butanol butyl chlorobutane cyclobutane dibromobutane dichlorobutane iodobutane isobutane n-butane
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