ketene Hear it!

ketene definition

ke·tene (kē′tēn′)

noun

  1. a colorless, toxic gas, HC∶CO, with a penetrating odor, made by passing acetone or acetic acid through hot metal tubes: used esp. as an acetylating agent
  2. any of a series of related organic compounds containing the C∶CO group

Etymology: ket(o)- + -ene

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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