asphaltene

[ as-fawl-teenor, especially British, -fal- ]

noun

, Chemistry.

1. any of the constituents of a bitumen, as asphalt, that are insoluble in pentane, hexane, or naphthalene.

Word History and Origins

Origin of asphaltene¹

First recorded in 1830–40; asphalt + -ene

Example Sentences

According to others, asphaltum consists almost entirely of asphaltene.

From Project Gutenberg