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

Earlier this month, the Environmental Protection Agency ruled that xAI acted illegally by using methane gas turbines to power Memphis datacenters. —Andrea Guzmán, Austin American Statesman, 29 Jan. 2026

Researchers note that similar electrode designs could eventually be adapted to other greenhouse gases, including methane. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Jan. 2026

Some 109,000 metric tons of methane escaped into the air before SoCalGas fixed the leak on one of its wells. —Staff Report, Daily News, 28 Jan. 2026

The simulations, which tracked the methane over seven lunar days, showed the molecules traveling freely across the lunar surface, rather than diffusing and dispersing, because the moon has virtually no atmosphere. —Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 26 Jan. 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