Gas
/ɡæs/noun
A substance in a state that expands freely to fill its container, or a fuel used for heating and power.
Did you know?The word was coined in the 1600s by the Flemish chemist Jan Baptista van Helmont, who said he created it from Greek chaos, making it one of the rare everyday words born from early modern alchemy.
Etymological Timeline
1600s
Dutch
gas
“A coined term for a vapor or invisible substance”
17th Century
Neo-Latin
gas
“A term used in early chemical writing for an airy substance”
Ancient Greek
Greek
chaos
“A vast, gaping void or formless opening”
Modern English
English
gas
“A state of matter that expands to fill its container”