kerosene is an oil used as a fuel for lamps, as well as heating and cooking.
And then there's the fact algal kerosene still costs more than the stuff refined from petroleum.
Ask a developer of off-grid lighting about a solar lantern and he'll tell you about a kerosene tragedy.
The initial thrust is provided by the nine-engine cluster, fuelled by kerosene and liquid oxygen.
Brides with a yen for kerosene lamps or kayaks can now register their wishes in the latest entry into the gift registry business.
Soap, axe-heads and kerosene are all much more expensive in remote hamlets than in the big cities.
Cozy in its remote location, the lodge's electricity-free cabins are lit with kerosene lanterns.
The heavy lifting is done by the nine-engine cluster, fuelled by kerosene and liquid oxygen.
The only light in view is that of the kerosene lamp by my side and bright stars.
The main danger with swallowing kerosene is accidentally swallowing it into your lungs.
British Dictionary definitions for kerosene
kerosene
/ˈkɛrəˌsiːn/
noun
1.
Also called paraffin. a liquid mixture consisting mainly of alkane hydrocarbons with boiling points in the range 150°–300°C, used as an aircraft fuel, in domestic heaters, and as a solvent
2.
the general name for paraffin as a fuel for jet aircraft
Usage note
The spelling kerosine is now the preferred form in technical and industrial usage
Word Origin
C19: from Greek kēros wax + -ene
Word Origin and History for kerosene
n.
1852, coined irregularly by Canadian geologist Abraham Gesner (1797-1864), who discovered how to distill it c.1846, from Greek keros "wax" + chemical suffix -ene. So called because it contains paraffin (hence the British English name, paraffin oil).
kerosene in Science
kerosene
(kěr'ə-sēn') A thin, light-colored oil that is a mixture of hydrocarbons derived from petroleum. The hydrocarbons in kerosene contain between 11 and 12 carbon atoms. Kerosene is used as a fuel in lamps, home heaters and furnaces, and jet engines.