noun · countable / uncountable · rare

paraffin

paraffin · paraffins

парафін

парафин

Petroleum, Kerosin

A petroleum-based thin and colourless fuel oilA petroleum-based thin and colourless fuel oil.

ⓘ

UK/ˈpæɹ.ə.fɪn/US/ˈpɛɹ.ə.fɪn/

» We'll buy some paraffin for them.

Мы купим им парафина.

Meaning

3 senses

(Ireland, UK, countable, uncountable)A petroleum-based thin and colourless fuel oil.
(countable, uncountable)Any member of the alkane hydrocarbons.
парафи́нparafín
парафі́нparafín
(countable, uncountable)Paraffin wax.

More definitions

(British usage) kerosine
from crude petroleum; used for candles and for preservative or waterproof coatings
a series of non-aromatic saturated hydrocarbons with the general formula CnH(2n+2)

Examples

3 sentences

We'll buy some paraffin for them.
ruМы купим им парафина.
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We'll buy some paraffin.
CC BY · Tatoeba · Jesse · C2Open on Tatoeba Report a problem
They want paraffin.
deDie wollen Paraffin.
CC BY · Tatoeba · sundown · C2Open on Tatoeba Report a problem

Translations

6 languages

Українська

By meaning 1

alkane hydrocarbon:

Русский

By meaning 1

alkane hydrocarbon:

Origin

From Latin paraffinum, from parum (too little) + affinis (related, affinity). Therefore lo

From Latin paraffinum, from parum (too little) + affinis (related, affinity). Therefore low affinity or being chemically neutral.

Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Forms

plural: paraffins

Singular	paraffin
Plural	paraffins

regular

paraffinealternative dated

Synonyms

7 synonyms

keroseneB2

Close in meaning

(British usage) kerosine:paraffin oil
from crude petroleum; used for candles and for preservative or waterproof coatings:paraffin wax
a series of non-aromatic saturated hydrocarbons with the general formula CnH(2n+2):methane series alkane series alkane paraffin series

Lessons for this word

1 lessons

A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable