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Webster 1913 Edition

Naphtha

Naph′tha

(năf′thȧ or năp′thȧ)
,
Noun.
[L.
naphtha
, Gr.
νάφθα
, fr.Ar.
nafth
,
nifth
.]
1.
(Chem.)
The complex mixture of volatile, liquid, inflammable hydrocarbons, occurring naturally, and usually called
crude petroleum
,
mineral oil
, or
rock oil
.
Specifically:
That portion of the distillate obtained in the refinement of petroleum which is intermediate between the lighter gasoline and the heavier benzine, and has a specific gravity of about 0.7, – used as a solvent for varnishes, as a carburetant, illuminant, etc.
2.
(Chem.)
One of several volatile inflammable liquids obtained by the distillation of certain carbonaceous materials and resembling the naphtha from petroleum;
as,
Boghead naphtha
, from Boghead coal (obtained at
Boghead
, Scotland);
crude naphtha
, or
light oil
, from coal tar;
wood naphtha
, from wood, etc.
☞ This term was applied by the earlier chemical writers to a number of volatile, strong smelling, inflammable liquids, chiefly belonging to the ethers, as the sulphate, nitrate, or acetate of ethyl.
Watts.
Naphtha vitrioli
[NL., naphtha of vitriol]
(Old Chem.)
,
common ethyl ether; – formerly called
sulphuric ether
. See
Ether
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Naphtha

NAPHTHA

,
Noun.
[from nafata, to push out, as pustules, to throw out, to boil, to be angry. In Ambaric, neft or nepht, from this sense, signifies a gun or musket.]
1.
An inflammable mineral substance of the bituminous kind, of a light brown or yellowish color, sharp taste, and incapable of decomposition. By long keeping it hardens into a substance resembling vegetable resin, and becomes black. It is as inflammable as ether. It is said to issue from the earth at Baku, in Persia, and to be received into cisterns.
2.
Naphtha consists of carbon and hydrogen.

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