benzine

noun

: any of various volatile flammable petroleum distillates used especially as solvents or as motor fuels

Examples of benzine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Someone had been killed in the chair, their body dragged to the closet, then later removed, soaked in benzine or ether and ignited. Gary Kamiya, San Francisco Chronicle, 7 Jan. 2022 Accordingly, his lieutenants doused his body in benzine, lighted it on fire and buried it in a nearby shell crater. Avi Selk, Washington Post, 20 May 2018 An earlier version of the headline on this article incorrectly spelled the chemical as benzine. Alexandra Berzon, WSJ, 15 Sep. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'benzine.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

German Benzin, from benz-

First Known Use

1835, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of benzine was in 1835

Dictionary Entries Near benzine

Cite this Entry

“Benzine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/benzine. Accessed 14 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

benzine

noun
ben·​zine ˈben-ˌzēn How to pronounce benzine (audio)
ben-ˈzēn
: any of various flammable chemicals from petroleum that evaporate easily and are used especially to dissolve fatty substances or as motor fuels

Medical Definition

benzine

noun
ben·​zine ˈben-ˌzēn How to pronounce benzine (audio) ben-ˈ How to pronounce benzine (audio)
: any of various volatile flammable petroleum distillates used especially as solvents or as motor fuels

More from Merriam-Webster on benzine

Last Updated: - Definition revised
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