Meanings
nounasphaltene (plural asphaltenes)
plural asphaltenes
- chemistryAny of the dark organic constituents of crude oils and bitumen that are soluble in aromatic solvents but not in aliphatic ones; they are polycyclic aromatic compounds (composed of fused benzene rings) with aliphatic side chains
In the deasphalter the more polar asphaltenes form a second liquid phase which effectively agglomerates the solids in the oil feed.
1979, Perry Nowacki, Coal liquefaction processes - Volume 131, page 157
Origin
From asphalt + -ene (“benzene”).
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan asfaltè
- asfaltèdark organic constituents of crude oils
Polish asfalten
- asfaltendark organic constituents of crude oils
Portuguese asfalteno
- asfaltenodark organic constituents of crude oils
Spanish asfalteno
- asfaltenodark organic constituents of crude oils
Cite this entry
APA
asphaltene. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/asphaltene
MLA
“asphaltene.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/asphaltene. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “asphaltene,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/asphaltene.
Source: asphaltene on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.