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

The bacteria living inside clam and tube worm species then use this methane for chemosynthesis to survive, Du said. —Marlowe Starling, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2025

By Emma Court | Bloomberg There’s no question that steak and hamburgers contribute to global warming, driven by cows’ potent methane burps and their wide-ranging grazing habits. —Bloomberg, Oc Register, 6 Aug. 2025

That is, regions in a young planetary disk where temperatures are so cold that water, ammonia, carbon monoxide or even methane can freeze into ice grains. —Bruce Dorminey, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025

By Emma Court, Bloomberg There’s no question that steak and hamburgers contribute to global warming, driven by cows’ potent methane burps and their wide-ranging grazing habits. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2025

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