Also spelled paraffine
noun
Freq #33197
Meanings
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1
noun
A petroleum-based thin and colourless fuel oil.
She poured paraffin on the dry floors and on the pandanus-mats, and then she set fire.
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2
noun
(British usage) kerosine
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3
noun
a series of non-aromatic saturated hydrocarbons with the general formula CnH(2n+2)
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4
noun
from crude petroleum
Thesaurus
Synonyms
1
noun
· a petroleum-based thin and...
kerosene
2
noun
· (british usage) kerosine
paraffin oil
3
noun
· a series of non-aromatic...
alkanealkane seriesmethane series
4
noun
· from crude petroleum
paraffin wax
Word family
Derived forms
chloroparaffincycloparaffindeparaffinatehistoparaffinisoparaffinnitroparaffinnonparaffinparafangoparaffinateparaffinicparaffinizationparaffinize
Etymology
From Latin paraffinum, from parum (too little) + affinis (related, affinity). Therefore low affinity or being chemically neutral.