# propane

/ˈpɹoʊˌpeɪn/ (US) · /pɹˈəʊpeɪn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/propane
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. fuel gas

noun · CEFR B2

a gas used as fuel for cooking, heating, and engines, usually kept in pressurized metal containers.

For teachers: a colourless, flammable gaseous alkane found in natural gas and petroleum, commonly used as a fuel for domestic heating and portable stoves.

- We need to refill the propane tank before we start the barbecue.
- Many rural households rely on large propane cylinders for central heating because they lack access to the municipal natural gas grid.

### 2. chemical compound

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a specific type of chemical made of carbon and hydrogen.

For teachers: an aliphatic hydrocarbon with the chemical formula C₃H₈, existing as a gas at standard temperature and pressure.

- In chemistry class, we learned that propane has three carbon atoms.
- The industrial synthesis of various organic compounds often begins with the catalytic processing of propane and other light alkanes.

## Examples

- We need to buy more propane for the barbecue.
- Many rural homes rely on a large propane tank in the yard to provide fuel for their heating systems.
- Because propane burns more cleanly than gasoline or coal, it is frequently used in indoor environments like warehouses where forklift emissions must be kept to a minimum.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.