paraffin

[ par-uh-fin ]

/ ˈpær ə fɪn /

noun

a white or colorless, tasteless, odorless, water-insoluble, solid substance not easily acted upon by reagents, consisting of a mixture of hydrocarbons chiefly of the alkane series, obtained from crude petroleum: used in candles, for forming preservative coatings and seals, for waterproofing paper, etc.

Chemistry.

any member of the alkane series.
one of the higher members of the alkane series, solid at ordinary temperatures, having a boiling point above 300°C, which largely constitutes the commercial form of this substance.

Also called paraffin oil. British. kerosene.

verb (used with object)

to cover or impregnate with paraffin.

Nearby words

Origin of paraffin

1830–40; < German < Latin par(um) barely + aff(īnis) connected + -in²; so called from its slight affinity for other substances; see affinity

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for paraffin

On light-weight goods the softener giving the most general satisfaction is paraffin.
Textiles|William H. Dooley
Pour it into glasses and put it in the sunshine for two days, then cover with paraffin and put it away.
Living on a Little|Caroline French Benton
A paraffin test was also run of Oswald's cheek and it produced a negative result.
Warren Commission (3 of 26): Hearings Vol. III (of 15)|The President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy
The Captain groaned, but what he said more Julia did not hear; she went out into the kitchen to get paraffin.
The Good Comrade|Una L. Silberrad

The best fuel, taking everything into consideration, is a paraffin candle in cold climates, and a stearine candle in hot ones.
The A B C of Mining|Charles A. Bramble

British Dictionary definitions for paraffin

paraffin

less commonly paraffine (ˈpærəˌfiːn)

/ (ˈpærəfɪn) /

noun

Also called: paraffin oil, (esp US and Canadian) kerosene a liquid mixture consisting mainly of alkane hydrocarbons with boiling points in the range 150°–300°C, used as an aircraft fuel, in domestic heaters, and as a solvent

another name for alkane

See paraffin wax

See liquid paraffin

verb (tr)

to treat with paraffin or paraffin wax

Word Origin for paraffin

C19: from German, from Latin parum too little + affinis adjacent; so called from its chemical inertia

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for paraffin

paraffin

1838, from German Paraffin, coined c.1830 by German chemist Karl von Reichenbach (1788-1869), who first obtained it as a waxy substance from wood tar, irregularly from Latin parum "not very, too little," probably related to parvus "little, small" (see parvi-) + affinis "associated with" (see affinity).

So called because paraffin is chemically not closely related to other substances. The liquid form (originally parafin oil) Reichenbach called eupion, but this was the standard meaning of paraffin in English by 1860.

Science definitions for paraffin

paraffin

[ păr′ə-fĭn ]

A waxy, white or colorless solid mixture of hydrocarbons made from petroleum and used to make candles, wax paper, lubricants, and waterproof coatings. Also called paraffin wax

See alkane.