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: a colorless odorless gaseous alkane C2H6 found in natural gas and used as a fuel
Examples of ethane in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Under the bombardment of sunlight, methane ice transforms to reactive gaseous particles that eventually fuse into larger aerosol molecules such as acetylene, ethylene and ethane.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024
It’s loaded with methane and ethane and all sorts of raw petroleum compounds.
—Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024
The wet gas comprises chemicals such as butane, ethane, methane, and propane, all of which can serve as the foundation for finished goods.
—Ken Silverstein, Forbes, 9 Sep. 2024
The combination of the slow wind speeds on Titan—a product of the moon’s thick nitrogen atmosphere—and the density and viscosity of methane and ethane mean that the average wave height would only be a few inches.
—Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 20 June 2024
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Word History
Etymology
International Scientific Vocabulary, from ethyl
First Known Use
1866, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near ethane
Cite this Entry
“Ethane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ethane. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
ethane
noun
eth·ane
ˈeth-ˌān
: a colorless odorless gas that consists of carbon and hydrogen, is found in natural gas, and is used especially as a fuel
Medical Definition
ethane
noun
eth·ane
ˈeth-ˌān, British ˈē-ˌthān
: a colorless odorless gaseous alkane C2H6 found in natural gas and used especially as a fuel
More from Merriam-Webster on ethane
Nglish: Translation of ethane for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ethane
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