petroleum ether
noun
a flammable, low-boiling hydrocarbon mixture produced by the fractional distillation of petroleum, used as a solvent.
Origin of petroleum ether
First recorded in 1865–70
Words nearby petroleum ether
petrol.,
petrolatum,
petrolene,
petroleum,
petroleum benzin,
petroleum ether,
petroleum jelly,
petrolhead,
petrolic,
petroliferous,
petrolina
Example sentences from the Web for petroleum ether
The acid crystallized from the alcohol is then recrystallized several times from petroleum-ether.
British Dictionary definitions for petroleum ether
petroleum ether
noun
a volatile mixture of the higher alkane hydrocarbons, obtained as a fraction of petroleum and used as a solvent