Paraffine

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Paraffin \Par"af*fin\ (p[a^]r"[a^]f*f[i^]n), Paraffine
  \Par"af*fine\ (p[a^]r"[a^]f*f[i^]n or p[a^]r"[a^]f*f[=e]n), n.
     [F. paraffine, fr. L. parum too little + affinis akin. So
     named in allusion to its chemical inactivity.] (Chem.)
     A white waxy substance, resembling spermaceti, tasteless and
     odorless, and obtained from coal tar, wood tar, petroleum,


     etc., by distillation. It is used in candles, as a sealing
     agent (such as in canning of preserves), as a waterproofing
     agent, as an illuminant and as a lubricant. It is very inert,
     not being acted upon by most of the strong chemical reagents.
     It was formerly regarded as a definite compound, but is now
     known to be a complex mixture of several higher hydrocarbons
     of the methane or marsh-gas series; hence, by extension, any
     substance, whether solid, liquid, or gaseous, of the same
     chemical series; thus gasoline, coal gas and kerosene consist
     largely of paraffins.
     [1913 Webster +PJC]
  
     Note: In the present chemical usage this word is spelled
           paraffin, but in commerce it is commonly spelled
           paraffine.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     {Native paraffin}. See {Ozocerite}.
  
     {Paraffin series}. See {Methane series}, under {Methane}.
        [1913 Webster]