acetylene
noun
acet·y·lene
ə-ˈse-tᵊl-ən 
-tᵊl-ˌēn
: a colorless gaseous hydrocarbon HC≡CH used chiefly in organic synthesis and as a fuel (as in welding and soldering)
Examples of acetylene in a Sentence
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Building up a database To make the cosmic dust, Losurdo started with nitrogen, carbon dioxide and acetylene — a colorless, odorless gas made up of carbon and hydrogen.
—
Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
Other add-ons that can be seen on bikes in the museum’s collection include acetylene gas headlamps, map cases, tool-carrying attachments and, for ladies’ bicycles, a skirt guard so the fabric would not become tangled in the wheel spokes.
—Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2026
The gang makes it out of that situation more or less fine, but surprise — acetylene has been leaking out accidentally the entire time.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025
This time, instead of a bomb, the mother (guest star Piper Perabo) of a child patient who had gone unresponsive after brain surgery brings a highly flammable acetylene tank into the operating room and forces Amelia (Caterina Scorsone) to perform a high-risk surgery to save her daughter.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for acetylene
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Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
Other add-ons that can be seen on bikes in the museum’s collection include acetylene gas headlamps, map cases, tool-carrying attachments and, for ladies’ bicycles, a skirt guard so the fabric would not become tangled in the wheel spokes.
—Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2026
The gang makes it out of that situation more or less fine, but surprise — acetylene has been leaking out accidentally the entire time.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025
This time, instead of a bomb, the mother (guest star Piper Perabo) of a child patient who had gone unresponsive after brain surgery brings a highly flammable acetylene tank into the operating room and forces Amelia (Caterina Scorsone) to perform a high-risk surgery to save her daughter.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for acetylene
Cite this Entry
“Acetylene.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acetylene. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
acetylene
noun
acet·y·lene
ə-ˈset-ᵊl-ən
-ᵊl-ˌēn
: a compound of carbon and hydrogen that is a colorless gas used chiefly in welding and soldering and in making chemical compounds
Medical Definition
acetylene
noun
acet·y·lene
ə-ˈset-ᵊl-ən
-ᵊl-ˌēn
-ᵊl-ˌēn
: a colorless gaseous hydrocarbon HC≡CH made especially by the action of water on calcium carbide and used chiefly in organic synthesis and as a fuel (as in welding and soldering)
called also ethyne
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