methane

American  

[meth-eyn, mee-theyn] / ˈmɛθ eɪn, ˈmi θeɪn /

noun

Chemistry.

1. a colorless, odorless, flammable gas, CH 4 , the main constituent of marsh gas and the firedamp of coal mines, obtained commercially from natural gas: the first member of the methane, or alkane, series of hydrocarbons.

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methane British  

/ ˈmiːθeɪn /

noun

1. a colourless odourless flammable gas, the simplest alkane and the main constituent of natural gas: used as a fuel. Formula: CH 4 See also marsh gas firedamp

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methane Scientific  

/ mĕth′ān′ /

1. A colorless, odorless, flammable gas that is the simplest hydrocarbon. It is the major constituent of natural gas and is released during the decomposition of plant or other organic compounds, as in marshes and coal mines. Methane is the first member of the alkane series. Chemical formula: CH ₄ .

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Etymology

Origin of methane

First recorded in 1865–70; meth- + -ane

Explanation

Methane, a colorless, odorless gas that occurs naturally on Earth, is a component in natural gas. It's also one of the major contributors to climate change. Methane is highly flammable, and it comprises as much as 90 percent of the natural gas that's commonly used for heating, cooking, and generating electricity. Although the release of methane into the atmosphere is a natural process, too much of it contributes to the greenhouse effect, trapping heat in the atmosphere and warming the planet. Methane was discovered by an Italian scientist in 1776, who collected the gas as it rose from a marsh.

Example Sentences

The decomposing waste generates methane, which scientists say is responsible for at least a quarter of global warming.

From Barron's • May 13, 2026

Puzder has railed against the bloc’s regulations and lobbied for changes to specific laws, including the EU’s methane regulation and its corporate sustainability directive.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

Thirty-five space satellites helped to detect that it generates some 100,000 metric tons of methane annually.

From Barron's • May 13, 2026

I’m scheduled to tour purification facilities, pipelines and compression stations that process the methane and transport it to markets.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026

It was the microbes that created methane—the farts—and methane was a greenhouse gas that trapped heat inside the atmosphere, making the earth hotter.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz