tetraethyllead

or tet·raeth·yl lead

[ te-truh-eth-uhl-led ]

noun

, Chemistry.

1. a colorless, oily, water-insoluble, poisonous liquid, (C 2 H 5 ) 4 Pb, used as an antiknock agent in gasoline.

Word History and Origins

Origin of tetraethyllead¹

First recorded in 1920–25; tetraethyl + lead ²

Example Sentences

Petroleum containing tetraethyllead, a form of lead, was first sold almost 100 years ago to increase engine performance.

From Seattle Times

In 2012 tetraethyllead generated one-tenth of Innospec’s $776 million in revenue, down from 90 percent in 2000.

From Salon

Today, sales of tetraethyllead to avgas producers account for just 3 percent of Innospec’s business.

From Salon

Annually, Innospec sells about 450,000 gallons of tetraethyllead to avgas producers.

From Salon

“There is no future for tetraethyllead.”

From Salon