propane

American  

[proh-peyn] / ˈproʊ peɪn /

noun

Chemistry.

1. a colorless, flammable gas, C 3 H 8 , of the alkane series, occurring in petroleum and natural gas: used chiefly as a fuel and in organic synthesis.

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propane British  

/ ˈprəʊpeɪn /

noun

1. a colourless flammable gaseous alkane found in petroleum and used as a fuel. Formula: CH 3 CH 2 CH 3

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propane Scientific  

/ prō′pān′ /

1. A colorless, gaseous hydrocarbon found in petroleum and natural gas. It is widely used as a fuel. Propane is the third member of the alkane series. Chemical formula: C ₃ H ₈ .

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Etymology

Origin of propane

First recorded in 1866; prop(ionic) + -ane

Explanation

Propane is a flammable fuel you can use to heat your house, barbecue, or portable camping stove. Propane is refined from natural gas and petroleum. Propane is a gaseous hydrocarbon that is stored as a liquid under pressure in tanks. Propane is as useful as it is volatile. It's useful because it's a portable fuel that you can heat anything from a small stove to an entire house with. But propane is dangerous because it's highly flammable. That’s why houses heated by propane have propane tanks outside. Propane must be stored and handled carefully and away from flames.

Example Sentences

Ethane, propane and butane are all considered natural-gas liquids, and are used as inputs for petrochemical plants, and cooking and heating.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

Venezuelans rely on propane gas for cooking and shortages of basics like this are common here in Sucre, one of the country's poorest states.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

And until recently, they used propane for heating and cooking, with price fluctuations in the winter posing hardships for low-income families.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 5, 2026

It is made mostly of methane, along with ethane and propane.

From Science Daily • Feb. 27, 2026

Later, when the crops are high, farmworkers use propane torches to burn the weeds by hand.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan