What does "alkane" mean?

Any acyclic saturated hydrocarbon (methane, ethane, etc.).

Alkane

Common synonyms include: paraffin, alkane series, hydrocarbons, methane series, paraffin series, saturated hydrocarbon.

/ˈæl.keɪn/ noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Noun

1
Any acyclic saturated hydrocarbon (methane, ethane, etc.).
"The carbon chain of an alkane may be linear or branched, but must not contain loops (cycles); its chemical formula is of the form CₙH₂ₙ₊₂."
2
a series of non-aromatic saturated hydrocarbons with the general formula CnH(2n+2) wordnet

"The carbon chain of an alkane may be linear or branched, but must not contain loops (cycles); its chemical formula is of the form CₙH₂ₙ₊₂."

From German Alkan, formed as alkyl + -ane.