| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
ethylene eth·yl·ene (ěth'ə-lēn')
n.
An explosive gas derived from natural gas and petroleum infrequently used as an inhalation anesthetic. Also called ethene.
The bivalent hydrocarbon radical C2H4 that is isomeric to the ethylidene radical.
| ethylene (ěth'ə-lēn') Pronunciation Key
A colorless, flammable gas that occurs naturally in certain plants and can be obtained from petroleum and natural gas. As a plant hormone, it ripens and colors fruit, and it is manufactured for use in agriculture to speed these processes. It is also used as a fuel and in making plastics. Ethylene is the simplest alkene, consisting of two carbon atoms joined by a double bond and each attached to two hydrogen atoms. Also called ethene. Chemical formula: C2H4. |