# butane

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈbjuːteɪn/ · frequency rank #45,827

## Definitions
1. A hydrocarbon (either of the two isomers of C₄H₁₀, n-butane and 2-methylpropane) found in gaseous petroleum fractions.
2. The n-butane isomer only.

## Etymology
PIE word
 *gʷṓws
IUPAC nomenclature, from but- (“four carbon prefix”) + -ane (“alkane suffix”), the former is derived from the same stem as the foul-smelling carboxylic acid liberated in rancid butter, "butyric acid", hence cognate with butter.

## Easily confused with
- **bute** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/butane-vs-bute)
- **butte** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/butane-vs-butte)
- **bane** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bane-vs-butane)
- **Busan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/busan-vs-butane)
- **botany** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/botany-vs-butane)
- **Bhutan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bhutan-vs-butane)

## Common misspellings (8)
`bbutane`, `btuane`, `buatne`, `butaen`, `butanne`, `butnae`, `buttane`, `ubtane`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/butane