tetraethyl lead

noun

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tet·ra·eth·yl lead | \ ˌte-trə-ˌe-thəl-ˈled

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Definition of tetraethyl lead

: a heavy oily poisonous liquid Pb(C₂H₅)₄ used especially formerly as an antiknock agent

Examples of tetraethyl lead in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web There was tetraethyl lead, used in making gasoline, sludge, asphalt, hydrocarbon liquids and vapors, solvents such as kerosene, acidic residue and asbestos. — Kaitlin Durbin, cleveland, 4 Apr. 2022 One of the greatest historical sources of lead exposure was the use of tetraethyl lead in petrol at the beginning of the 20th century. — Anuradha Varanasi, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2021 Frank Howard of Standard Oil argued that tetraethyl lead was diluted at over 1,000 to 1 in gasoline and therefore posed no risk to the average person. — Bill Kovarik, The Conversation, 8 Dec. 2021 Similarly, several decades later, the introduction of tetraethyl lead into gasoline raised environmental concerns, but was tolerated as a necessary lubricant for the adoption of the internal combustion engine. — New York Times, 18 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tetraethyl lead.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Tetraethyl lead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tetraethyl%20lead. Accessed 28 Jun. 2022.

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