{ Par"af*fin (pr"f*fn), Par"af*fine (?) }, n. [F. paraffine, fr. L.
parum too little + affinis akin. So named in allusion to its chemical
inactivity.] (Chem.) A white waxy substance, resembling spermaceti,
tasteless and odorless, and obtained from coal tar, wood tar,
petroleum, etc., by distillation. It is used as an illuminant and
lubricant. It is very inert, not being acted upon by most of the strong
chemical reagents. It was formerly regarded as a definite compound, but
is now known to be a complex mixture of several higher hydrocarbons of
the methane or marsh-gas series; hence, by extension, any substance,
whether solid, liquid, or gaseous, of the same chemical series; thus
coal gas and kerosene consist largely of paraffins.
In the present chemical usage this word is spelt paraffin, but in
commerce it is commonly spelt paraffine.
Native paraffin. See Ozocerite. - - Paraffin series. See Methane
series, under Methane.
Par"age, n. [F., fr. L. par, adj., equal. Cf. Peerage, Peer an equal.]
1. (Old Eng. Law) Equality of condition, blood, or dignity; also,
equality in the partition of an inheritance. Spelman.
2. (Feudal Law) Equality of condition between persons holding unequal
portions of a fee. Burrill.
<! p. 1040 !>