Meaning & use
propane
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountablechemistry
A colorless, flammable gas, stored as a liquid under pressure, used as fuel for heating, cooking and vehicles.
Grammar: Uncountable: a tank of propane, not a propane.
Patterns
- a tank of propane
- run on propane
We use propane to heat the cabin in winter.
He refilled the propane tank before the barbecue.
Many forklifts run on propane.
Common combinations
- propane tank
- The propane tank is nearly empty.
- propane gas
- Propane gas is heavier than air.
- propane heater
- A propane heater warmed the tent.
- propane grill
- Dad cooked on a propane grill.
- run out of propane
- We ran out of propane halfway through cooking.
Synonyms and how they differ
- LPG
- LPG is the wider category of liquefied petroleum gas, which often contains propane, and is the more common British term.
- butane
- Butane is a related gas that burns similarly but does not work as well in cold weather.
- natural gas
- Natural gas is mostly methane and is piped to homes, while propane is stored in tanks.
Word family
- propene noun
- a related gas used to make plastics
- methane noun
- the simplest hydrocarbon gas
- butane noun
- a gas used for lighters and camping stoves
- hydrocarbon noun
- a compound of hydrogen and carbon
Commonly confused: propane or propone? propane or methane?
propane vs propone
Propone is not a standard chemistry word; propane is the correct spelling for the gas.
propane vs methane
Methane has one carbon atom and is the main part of natural gas, while propane has three and is stored in tanks.
Practice
What is propane most commonly used for?
Choose one answer.
Propane is a flammable gas used as fuel. It is not a metal, a medicine or a fabric.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “propane”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.