1. Plural of cetane; a colorless liquid hydrocarbon (C₁₆H₃₄) found in petroleum and used as a reference standard for diesel fuel quality.
Usage: chemistry; technical
2. Cetane numbers or cetane ratings; numerical measures of the ignition quality of diesel fuel, indicating how easily the fuel ignites under compression.
Usage: automotive; technical

Examples

• Diesel engines rely on high cetanes to ensure proper combustion and engine performance.
• The cetanes in this fuel blend meet the required standards for winter driving.
• Refineries adjust cetane levels to improve fuel quality and reduce emissions.
• Higher cetanes generally result in better cold-start performance in diesel vehicles.
• The laboratory tested the cetanes content of the new fuel formulation.