Meaning
The aliphatic hydrocarbon C₁₆H₃₄ (hexadecane) used as a standard for diesel fuel.
Etymology
Origin: Latin
From Latin cetus (“whale”) + -ane.
NYT Puzzle Appearances
No published puzzle dates on file for this word yet. It is part of the official NYT Spelling Bee word list for 2020, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.