Hydrocarbons

(-karbonz.) [Gr. hy dor, and L. carbon, coal.] (Chem.) Combinations of hydrogen and carbon,including most of the inflammable gases which are commonly met with, and a great number of the e ential oils, naphthas, and other useful substances. The H.form avery important and numerous cla of organic bodies, and new members are being constantly discovered, no two elements being capable of occurring in so many different forms as carbon and hydrogen. [s. 469]