What is "olefin"

olefin \o"le*fin\, olefine \o"le*fine\([=o]"l[-e]*f[i^]n or

1. (Chem.) Olefiant gas, or ethylene. See Ethylene.

2. Hence: (Chem.) Any one of the series of unsaturated hydrocarbons of which ethylene is the type; a member of the alkene series of hydrocarbons; an alkene.

n. (context organic chemistry English) Any of a class of unsaturated open-chain hydrocarbons such as ethylene; an alkene with only one carbon-carbon double bond.

n. any unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon [syn: alkene, olefine]

1. redirect Alkene