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

Easily bottled, propane was the first bounty from the shale boom to flood into overseas markets, especially in Asia.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

Burning gas and propane for cooking, water heating and space heating in California homes and businesses creates 10% of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026

Jitendra Aghara of Simpolo Tiles, one of Morbi's biggest manufacturers, has kept operating by buying propane at more than double the price it was before the war to ensure he fulfills customer orders.

From Barron's • Mar. 29, 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

He lifted his hand up to the propane valve and tweaked the knob.

From "A Tangle of Knots" by Lisa Graff