Hypertext Webster Gateway: "paraffine"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Paraffin \Par"af*fin\, Paraffine \Par"af*fine\, n. [F.
paraffine, fr. L. parum too little + affinis akin. So named
in allusion to its chemical inactivity.] (Chem.)
A white waxy substance, resembling spermaceti, tasteless and
odorless, and obtained from coal tar, wood tar, petroleum,
etc., by distillation. It is used as an illuminant and
lubricant. It is very inert, not being acted upon by most of
the strong chemical reagents. It was formerly regarded as a
definite compound, but is now known to be a complex mixture
of several higher hydrocarbons of the methane or marsh-gas
series; hence, by extension, any substance, whether solid,
liquid, or gaseous, of the same chemical series; thus coal
gas and kerosene consist largely of paraffins.
Note: In the present chemical usage this word is spelt
paraffin, but in commerce it is commonly spelt
paraffine.
{Native paraffin}. See {Ozocerite}.
{Paraffin series}. See {Methane series}, under {Methane}.
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