noun
acetylene
uh-SEH-tuhl-een
Acetylene (noun) means a colourless, highly flammable gas made of two carbon and two hydrogen atoms, burned with oxygen to produce an extremely hot flame used for welding and cutting metal. Example: “The welder connected the acetylene tank before lighting the torch.”
noun
1
A colourless, highly flammable gas made of two carbon and two hydrogen atoms, burned with oxygen to produce an extremely hot flame used for welding and cutting metal.
"The welder connected the acetylene tank before lighting the torch."
"Old-fashioned bicycle and car lamps sometimes burned acetylene gas for light."
How to use acetylene
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe gas welders burn for cutting and joining metal — it's the fuel in an acetylene torch.
Common pairings
acetylene torch
acetylene tank
oxy-acetylene welding
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like acetylene.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- acetylenes
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The welder connected the _____ tank before lighting the torch.
Etymology
Coined in French from "acetyl" plus the chemical ending "-ene," first used by the chemist Marcellin Berthelot.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for acetylene
See all rhymes for acetylene →Frequently asked questions
What does “acetylene” mean?
The word “acetylene” means a colourless, highly flammable gas made of two carbon and two hydrogen atoms, burned with oxygen to produce an extremely hot flame used for welding and cutting metal. In plain terms, the gas welders burn for cutting and joining metal — it's the fuel in an acetylene torch.
How do you pronounce “acetylene”?
“Acetylene” is pronounced uh-SEH-tuhl-een (/əˈsɛtəlˌin/ in IPA).
How do you use “acetylene” in a sentence?
Here is “acetylene” used in a sentence: “The welder connected the acetylene tank before lighting the torch.”
What is another word for “acetylene”?
Words with a similar meaning to “acetylene” include ethyne.
What part of speech is “acetylene”?
“Acetylene” is a noun.
Where does the word “acetylene” come from?
The word “acetylene” comes from French. Coined in French from "acetyl" plus the chemical ending "-ene," first used by the chemist Marcellin Berthelot.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include acetylene:
