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noun

butane

BYOO-tayn

Butane (noun) means a flammable hydrocarbon gas, used as fuel for lighters and camping stoves and found in petroleum. Example: “The camping stove ran on a small canister of butane.”

noun
1
A flammable hydrocarbon gas, used as fuel for lighters and camping stoves and found in petroleum.
"The camping stove ran on a small canister of butane."

How to use butane

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA gas used as fuel, common in cigarette lighters and portable stoves.

Common pairings
butane lighter butane gas canister

Word forms

butanes plural

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The camping stove ran on a small canister of _____.

Etymology

Built from but- (a prefix indicating four carbon atoms, from the same root as "butter") plus the chemistry suffix -ane used for alkanes.

E943a

Rhymes for butane

See all rhymes for butane →

Frequently asked questions

What does “butane” mean?

The word “butane” means a flammable hydrocarbon gas, used as fuel for lighters and camping stoves and found in petroleum. In plain terms, a gas used as fuel, common in cigarette lighters and portable stoves.

How do you pronounce “butane”?

“Butane” is pronounced BYOO-tayn (/ˈbjuːteɪn/ in IPA).

How do you use “butane” in a sentence?

Here is “butane” used in a sentence: “The camping stove ran on a small canister of butane.”

What is another word for “butane”?

Words with a similar meaning to “butane” include E943a.

What part of speech is “butane”?

“Butane” is a noun.

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial