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| n. 1. A waxy white or colorless solid hydrocarbon mixture used to make candles, wax paper, lubricants, and sealing materials. Also called paraffin wax. 2. Chemistry A member of the alkane series. 3. Chiefly British Kerosene. tr.v. par·af·fined, par·af·fin·ing, par·af·fins To saturate, impregnate, or coat with paraffin. [German Paraffin : Latin parum, little, not very; see pau-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + Latin affīnis, related, associated with (from the fact that paraffin did not resemble other known fatty substances in several ways, as in its not being saponifiable or reactive with acids) ; see AFFINED.] par′af·finic adj. |
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