tetraethyllead

or tet·raeth·yl lead

[ te-truh-eth-uh l-led ]
/ ˌtɛ trəˌɛθ əlˈlɛd /

noun Chemistry.

a colorless, oily, water-insoluble, poisonous liquid, (C2H5)4Pb, used as an antiknock agent in gasoline.
Also called lead tetraethyl, TEL

Origin of tetraethyllead

First recorded in 1920–25; tetraethyl + lead2

Words nearby tetraethyllead

tetradymite, tetradynamous, tetraethyl, tetraethyl lead, tetraethyl pyrophosphate, tetraethyllead, tetrafluoride, tetrafluoroethene, tetrafluoroethylene, tetrafunctional, tetragon

British Dictionary definitions for tetraethyl lead

tetraethyl lead
/ (ˌtɛtrəˈiːθaɪl lɛd) /

noun

a colourless oily insoluble liquid used in petrol to prevent knocking. Formula: Pb(C 2 H 5) 4 Systematic name: lead tetraethyl

Medical definitions for tetraethyl lead

tetraethyl lead

n.

A colorless, poisonous, oily liquid used in gasoline for internal-combustion engines as an antiknock agent.

Scientific definitions for tetraethyl lead

tetraethyl lead
[ tĕt′rə-ĕth′əl ]

A colorless, poisonous, oily liquid, formerly in wide use as an antiknock agent in gasoline for internal-combustion engines. Chemical formula: C8H20Pb.