paraffin (par'af-in). 1

A tastele , odorle , waxy substance, soluble in carbon disulphid, chloroform, and benzin, first obtained by the distillation of beechwood tar, and now manufactured from bituminous coal. It consists of a number of hydrocarbons. 2. Of Watts and others, one of the series of saturated hydrocarbons. The series includes the colorle gases methane, ethane, propane, and butane, and the liquids, pentane, hexane, heptane, octane, nonane, and decane, etc. hard p. P. having a melting point between 500 C. and 60 ° C. liquid p. A liquid hydrocarbon of the p. and olefin series, normal p. A p. which contains its carbon atoms united in a straight chain, soft p. A semisolid mixture of the soft members of the paraffin series of hydrocarbons. It melts at about 96- 1020 F. (35-5°-3S.9° C). solid p. Ordinary p. [Lat., parum, little, + affims, having affinity.]