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

They’re commonly found in soils and wetlands where decaying organic matter is present and methane is abundant. —Diana Olick, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2024

Cattle and livestock are tremendous contributors to climate change, creating methane that becomes trapped in the atmosphere, which then causes the planet to warm significantly. —Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 13 Aug. 2024

Maryland is experiencing its hottest days on record, and yet for-profit gas utility monopolies continue to make massive profits from methane pipeline replacement and expansion, funded by ratepayers. —Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 6 Aug. 2024

Researchers are studying how to reduce methane emissions from dairy cows. —Melanie Stetson Freeman, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1867, in the meaning defined above

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