propane

P3R1O1P3A1N1E1
/ˈpɹoʊpeɪn/

noun

An aliphatic hydrocarbon, C₃H₈, a constituent of natural gas.

Similar
E944 when used as a propellant
OriginFrench propionique ← German Propan →
Less commonFirst used 1867Scrabble 11
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Meanings

nounpropane (countable and uncountable, plural propanes)

plural propanes

  1. countableuncountablechemistryAn aliphatic hydrocarbon, C₃H₈, a constituent of natural gas.First known use 1867

    Propane gas is used for cooking and cylinder containers are placed to one side of the underframe, with battery boxes and electrical control boxes at the other side.

    1960 April, “Restaurant cars and multiple-units”, in Trains Illustrated, page 222
  2. UScountableuncountableLPG.

Synonyms & antonyms

Similar
E944 when used as a propellant
Broader
alkane

Origin

  1. GermanPropan
  2. Frenchpropionique
  3. Englishpropane

From clipping of propionic acid + -ane, from French propionique, from Ancient Greek πρό (pró) + πίων (píōn, “fat”). Analyzable as prop- + -ane, borrowing or calque of German Propan.

More words from French, German

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans propaan
  • propaanaliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
Arabic بْرُوبَان, پْرُوپَان
  • بْرُوبَان (brūbān)aliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
  • پْرُوپَان (prūpān)aliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
Bulgarian пропа́н
  • пропа́н (propán)aliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
Catalan propà
  • propàaliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
Chinese Mandarin 丙烷
  • 丙烷 (bǐngwán)aliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
Czech propan
  • propanaliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
Dutch propaan
  • propaanaliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
Esperanto propano
  • propanoaliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
Finnish propaani
  • propaanialiphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
French propane
  • propanealiphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
German Propan
  • Propanaliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
Greek προπάνιο
  • προπάνιο (propánio)aliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
Hungarian propán
  • propánaliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
Icelandic própan
  • própanaliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
Indonesian propana
  • propanaaliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
Italian propano
  • propanoaliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
Japanese プロパン
  • プロパン (puropan)aliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
Korean 프로페인, 프로판
  • 프로페인 (peuropein)aliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
  • 프로판 (peuropan)aliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
Norwegian Bokmål propan
  • propanaliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
Polish propan
  • propanaliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
Portuguese propano
  • propanoaliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
Romanian propan
  • propanaliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
Russian пропа́н
  • пропа́н (propán)aliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
Slovak propán
  • propánaliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
Spanish propano
  • propanoaliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
Swedish propan
  • propanaliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
Tagalog taltan
  • taltanaliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
Thai โพรเพน
  • โพรเพนaliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
Turkish propan
  • propanaliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8
Ukrainian пропа́н
  • пропа́н (propán)aliphatic hydrocarbon: C3H8

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with propane

mainagaindomainSpainpaincampaignchainmaintaingaintrainobtainremaincontainrainmaineexplainlaneplainjaneplaneWayneUkrainegrainstrain
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

propane. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/propane

MLA

“propane.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/propane. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “propane,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/propane.

Source: propane on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.