tetraethyllead

or tet·raeth·yl lead

[ te-truh-eth-uhl-led ]

noun

, Chemistry.

1. a colorless, oily, water-insoluble, poisonous liquid, (C 2 H 5 ) 4 Pb, used as an antiknock agent in gasoline.

Word History and Origins

Origin of tetraethyllead¹

First recorded in 1920–25; tetraethyl + lead ²