ethylene

eth·yl·ene   (ěth'ə-lēn')    n.  A colorless flammable gas, C2H4, derived from natural gas and petroleum and used as a source of many organic compounds, in welding and cutting metals, to color citrus fruits, and as an anesthetic. Also called ethene. eth'yl·e'nic (-ə-lē'nĭk, -lěn'ĭk) adj.

Main Entry: eth·yl·ene
Pronunciation: 'eth-&-"lEn
Function: noun
1 : a colorless flammable gaseous unsaturated hydrocarbonC₂H₄ that is found in coal gas, can be produced by pyrolysis of petroleum hydrocarbons, is used in medicine as a general inhalation anesthetic, and occurs in plants functioningespecially as a natural growth regulator that promotes the ripening of fruit called also ethene
2 : a divalent hydrocarbon group C₂H₄ derived fromethane —eth·yl·enic /"eth-&-'lE-nik, -'len-ik/ adjective —eth·yl·eni·cal·ly /-'lE-ni-k(&-)lE,-'len-i-k(&-)lE/ adverb

ethylene eth·yl·ene (ěth'ə-lēn')
n.

1. An explosive gas derived from natural gas and petroleum infrequently used as an inhalation anesthetic. Also called ethene.

2. 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.