methane

noun

meth·​ane ˈme-ˌthān 

British usually ˈmē-

: a colorless odorless flammable gaseous hydrocarbon CH₄ that is a product of biological decomposition of organic matter and of the carbonization of coal, is used as a fuel and as a starting material in chemical synthesis, and is the simplest of the alkanes

Examples of methane in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Scientific studies have shown that this process, which produces large, bright orange flames, releases toxic chemicals like benzene and hydrogen sulphide into the atmosphere, as well as the greenhouse gas methane. —Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 27 May 2026

Rice paddies emit methane and nitrous oxide from wet or flooded soils. —Hanqin Tian, Fortune, 25 May 2026

That was arguably the moment of peak attention to methane. —Jonathan Mingle, The New York Review of Books, 23 May 2026

Starship’s tanks hold about 1,500 metric tons of propellant, consisting mainly of liquid oxygen and liquid methane cooled to cryogenic temperatures. —Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1867, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for methane

• abstain
• airplane
• alkane
• arcane
• arraign
• attain
• backplane
• betaine
• biplane
• blockchain
• butane
• campaign

Kids Definition

methane

noun

meth·​ane ˈmeth-ˌān 

: a colorless odorless flammable gas that consists of carbon and hydrogen and is produced by decay of organic matter

Medical Definition

methane

noun

meth·​ane

ˈmeth-ˌān, British usually ˈmē-ˌthān

: a colorless, odorless, flammable, gaseous hydrocarbon CH₄ that is lighter than air, forms explosive mixtures with air or oxygen, and occurs naturally as a by-product of the decomposition of organic matter by anaerobic bacteria

called also marsh gas