Propane
/ˈproʊ.peɪn/noun
A flammable hydrocarbon gas used as fuel.
Did you know?The -ane ending marks propane as part of the alkane family, a naming system created by chemists rather than inherited from ancient speech, so its “etymology” is really a history of scientific classification.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
prōtos
“first”
19th Century
English
propyl
“a three-carbon radical in organic chemistry”
Late 19th Century
English
-ane
“a suffix used for saturated hydrocarbons”
Early 20th Century
English
propane
“the three-carbon alkane”
Modern English
English
propane
“a flammable gas used as fuel”