Word Study
octane
CIDE DICTIONARY
octane, n. [See Octa-].
Any one of a group of metametric hydrocarbons (C8H18 ) of the methane (paraffin) series. The most important is a colorless, volatile, inflammable liquid, found in petroleum, and a constituent of gasoline or ligroin. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
octane, n. a colourless inflammable hydrocarbon of the alkane series.
Idiom
high-octane (of fuel used in internal-combustion engines) having good antiknock properties, not detonating readily during the power stroke. octane number (or rating) a figure indicating the antiknock properties of a fuel.
Usage
Chem. formula: C8H18
Etymology
OCT- + -ANE
THESAURUS
octane
alcohol, benzine, briquette, burnable, butane, carbon, charcoal, coal, coke, combustible, dope, ethane, ethanol, fireball, firing, flammable, flammable material, fuel, fuel additive, fuel dope, gas, gas carbon, gasoline, heptane, hexane, inflammable, inflammable material, isooctane, jet fuel, kerosene, methane, methanol, natural gas, oil, paraffin, peat, pentane, propane, propellant, rocket fuel, turfFor further exploring for "octane" in Webster Dictionary Online