alkane

/ˈæl.keɪn/

//ˈæl.keɪn// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"alkane" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“alkane” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Any acyclic saturated hydrocarbon (methane, ethane, etc.).

Key facts for alkane
PropertyValue
Headwordalkane
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈæl.keɪn/
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “alkane” sits in English frequency

alkane falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

alkane is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈæl.keɪn/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Any acyclic saturated hydrocarbon (methane, ethane, etc.).".

No misspelling variants are generated for alkane in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: From German Alkan, formed as alkyl + -ane. The correct English form is alkane, spelled A-L-K-A-N-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Any acyclic saturated hydrocarbon (methane, ethane, etc.).

Etymology

From German Alkan, formed as alkyl + -ane.

Synonyms

paraffin

This word in other languages

alcano(Español)alcane(Français)Alkan(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "alkane"?
"alkane" is spelled A-L-K-A-N-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈæl.keɪn/.
What does "alkane" mean?
As a noun, "alkane" means: Any acyclic saturated hydrocarbon (methane, ethane, etc.).
How do you pronounce "alkane"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "alkane" is /ˈæl.keɪn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "alkane"?
From German Alkan, formed as alkyl + -ane. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “alkane”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is A-L-K-A-N-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈæl.keɪn/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list