ketene

[ kee-teen ]

noun

, Chemistry.

1. a colorless, poisonous gas, C 2 H 2 O, irritating to the lungs, prepared from acetone or acetic acid by pyrolysis: used chiefly in the manufacture of certain commercial chemicals, as acetic anhydride and aspirin.

ketene

/ ˈkɛt-; ˈkiːtiːn /

noun

1. a colourless irritating toxic gas used as an acetylating agent in organic synthesis. Formula: CH 2 :CO Also calledethonone

Word History and Origins

Origin of ketene¹

First recorded in 1905–10; ket- + -ene