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

Most natural gas comes out of the ground as a cocktail of methane and CO2. — Katie Worth, ProPublica, 30 Oct. 2026

The airship carries an array of sensors for inspection, including high-precision cameras, lidar, and methane detectors. — Edd Gent, IEEE Spectrum, 29 Oct. 2026

But methane traps heat about 80 times more effectively than carbon over 20 years and about 28 times more effectively over the course of a century. — Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 29 Oct. 2026

Now the world needs more gas than ever, and methane emissions abatement measures, from better pumps to satellite monitoring, have proliferated. — Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 29 Oct. 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