ethylene

eth·yl·ene  (th-ln)

n.

A colorless flammable gas, C₂H₄, derived from natural gas and petroleum and used as a source of many organic compounds, in welding and cutting metals, to color citrus fruits, and as an anesthetic. Also called ethene.

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ethyl·enic (--lnk, -lnk) adj.

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ethylene or ethene

Noun

a colourless flammable gaseous alkene used to make polythene and other chemicals

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ethylene  (th-ln)

A colorless, flammable gas that occurs naturally in certain plants and can be obtained from petroleum and natural gas. As a plant hormone, it ripens and colors fruit, and it is manufactured for use in agriculture to speed these processes. It is also used as a fuel and in making plastics. Ethylene is the simplest alkene, consisting of two carbon atoms joined by a double bond and each attached to two hydrogen atoms. Also called ethene. Chemical formula: C₂H₄.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

ethylene - a flammable colorless gaseous alkene; obtained from petroleum and natural gas and used in manufacturing many other chemicals; sometimes used as an anesthetic ethene alkene, olefin, olefine - any unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon TCE, trichloroethane, trichloroethylene - a heavy colorless highly toxic liquid used as a solvent to clean electronic components and for dry cleaning and as a fumigant; causes cancer and liver and lung damage gas - a fluid in the gaseous state having neither independent shape nor volume and being able to expand indefinitely