PARAFFINS
Noun
paraffins
plural of paraffin
Source: Wiktionary
PARAFFIN
Par"af*fin, Par"af*fine, n. Etym: [F. paraffine, fr. L. parum too
little + affinis akin. So named in allusion to its chemical
inactivity.] (Chem.)
Definition: A white waxy substance, resembling spermaceti, tasteless and
odorless, and obtained from coal tar, wood tar, petroleum, etc., by
distillation. It is used as an illuminant and 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 coal gas and
kerosene consist largely of paraffins.
Note: In the present chemical usage this word is spelt paraffin, but
in commerce it is commonly spelt paraffine. Native paraffin. See
Ozocerite.
– Paraffin series. See Methane series, under Methane.
PARAFFIN
Par"af*fin, Par"af*fine, n. Etym: [F. paraffine, fr. L. parum too
little + affinis akin. So named in allusion to its chemical
inactivity.] (Chem.)
Definition: A white waxy substance, resembling spermaceti, tasteless and
odorless, and obtained from coal tar, wood tar, petroleum, etc., by
distillation. It is used as an illuminant and 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 coal gas and
kerosene consist largely of paraffins.
Note: In the present chemical usage this word is spelt paraffin, but
in commerce it is commonly spelt paraffine. Native paraffin. See
Ozocerite.
– Paraffin series. See Methane series, under Methane.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition