asphaltene

[ as-fawl-teen or, especially British, -fal- ]

nounChemistry.
  1. any of the constituents of a bitumen, as asphalt, that are insoluble in pentane, hexane, or naphthalene.

Origin of asphaltene

1
First recorded in 1830–40; asphalt + -ene

Words Nearby asphaltene

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

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