alkane

[ al-keyn ]
/ ˈæl keɪn /

noun Chemistry.

any member of the alkane series.

Origin of alkane

First recorded in 1895–1900; alk(yl) + -ane

Example sentences from the Web for alkane

British Dictionary definitions for alkane

alkane
/ (ˈælkeɪn) /

noun

  1. any saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon with the general formula C n H 2 n +2
  2. (as modifier)alkane series
Also called: paraffin

Medical definitions for alkane

alkane
[ ălkān′ ]

n.

Any of various saturated open-chain hydrocarbons having the general formula CnH2n+2, the most abundant of which is methane.

Scientific definitions for alkane

alkane
[ ălkān′ ]

Any of a group of hydrocarbons that have carbon atoms in chains linked by single bonds and that have the general formula CnH2n+2. Alkanes can be either gaseous, liquid, or solid. They occur naturally in petroleum and natural gas, and include methane, propane and butane. Also called paraffin♦ The group of alkanes as a whole is called the alkane series or the methane or paraffin series. Its first six members are methane, ethane, propane, butane, pentane, and hexane.