Etymology

nitromethane

N1I1T1R1O1M3E1T1H4A1N1E1

Today it means: The simplest nitroparaffin, CH₃NO₂; a colourless oily liquid used in organic synthesis, and as a fuel for rockets, racing cars and model aircraft. Full definition →

English methane ← German Methy ← Ancient Greek ῡ̔́λη (hū́lē)
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The story

  1. Egyptiannṯr
  2. Egyptiannṯrj
  3. Ancient Greekνῐ́τρον (nĭ́tron)
  4. Englishnitro-
  5. Proto-Indo-European*médʰu
  6. Proto-Hellenic*métʰu
  7. Ancient Greekμέθυ (méthu)
  8. Proto-Indo-European*swel-der.?
  9. Ancient Greekῡ̔́λη (hū́lē)
  10. GermanMethy
  11. Englishmethyl
  12. Englishmethane
  13. English todaynitromethane

From nitro- + methane.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.