paraffin
noun
par·af·fin
ˈper-ə-fən 
ˈpa-rə-
1
a
: a waxy crystalline flammable substance obtained especially from distillates of wood, coal, petroleum, or shale oil that is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons and is used chiefly in coating and sealing, in candles, in rubber compounding, and in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics
b
: any of various mixtures of similar hydrocarbons including mixtures that are semisolid or oily
2
: alkane
3
chiefly British
: kerosene
Examples of paraffin in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Despite a less-than-glamorous start to his career after failing all of his school exams—and his early jobs including cleaning toilets and delivering paraffin—Kurt Geiger CEO Neil Clifford always knew his career was destined for greatness.
—
Mahnoor Khan, Fortune, 1 Sep. 2024
The formula is enriched with elite ingredients like chrysin, moringa oil, and panthenol and avoids contaminants like synthetic fragrance, talc, paraffin wax, and petrolatum to not only shield your skin from harmful UV rays but also support overall skin well-being.
—Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 13 Aug. 2024
The tent had been waterproofed with a mixture of 6,000 gallons of gasoline and and 1,800 pounds of paraffin wax.
—Ed Stannard, Hartford Courant, 6 July 2024
The German launch company is developing its rockets with hybrid technology, using solid paraffin (commonly known as candle wax) and liquid oxygen as fuel.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 10 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for paraffin 
Mahnoor Khan, Fortune, 1 Sep. 2024
The formula is enriched with elite ingredients like chrysin, moringa oil, and panthenol and avoids contaminants like synthetic fragrance, talc, paraffin wax, and petrolatum to not only shield your skin from harmful UV rays but also support overall skin well-being.
—Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 13 Aug. 2024
The tent had been waterproofed with a mixture of 6,000 gallons of gasoline and and 1,800 pounds of paraffin wax.
—Ed Stannard, Hartford Courant, 6 July 2024
The German launch company is developing its rockets with hybrid technology, using solid paraffin (commonly known as candle wax) and liquid oxygen as fuel.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 10 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for paraffin
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'paraffin.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Paraffin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paraffin. Accessed 17 Sep. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
paraffin
noun
par·af·fin
ˈpar-ə-fən
: a flammable waxy substance obtained from wood, coal, or petroleum and used chiefly in coating and sealing, in candles, and in drugs and cosmetics
Medical Definition
paraffin
noun
par·af·fin
ˈpar-ə-fən
1
a
: a waxy crystalline flammable substance obtained especially from distillates of wood, coal, petroleum, or shale oil that is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons and is used chiefly in coating and sealing, in candles, in rubber compounding, and in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics
b
: any of various mixtures of similar hydrocarbons including mixtures that are semisolid or oily
2
: alkane
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