liquefied natural gas: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Technical, Business, Academic
Quick answer
What does “liquefied natural gas” mean?
Natural gas (predominantly methane) that has been cooled to a liquid state for ease of storage and transport.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Natural gas (predominantly methane) that has been cooled to a liquid state for ease of storage and transport.
A fuel and energy commodity in its liquid form, typically traded internationally via specialized tankers and regasified for use in power generation, heating, and as industrial feedstock.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: 'liquefied' (both). Pronunciation of 'natural' may vary slightly (/'nætʃ(ə)rəl/ vs /'nætʃrəl/). No significant lexical differences. The initialism 'LNG' is universally used.
Connotations
Identical technical and economic connotations. Associated with energy security, export economies, and the transition fuel debate.
Frequency
Equally frequent in technical/business contexts in both varieties. The full term is less common in everyday speech than the initialism.
Grammar
How to Use “liquefied natural gas” in a Sentence
[Country/Company] exports/imports LNG to/from [Country][LNG] is shipped/transported via [carrier/tanker][Facility] produces/stores/regasifies LNGVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “liquefied natural gas” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The gas will be liquefied at the plant in Milford Haven.
- We specialise in liquefying natural gas for overseas markets.
American English
- The company liquefies natural gas at its facility in Louisiana.
- The extracted gas is then liquefied for transport.
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverbial form for this noun phrase]
American English
- [No standard adverbial form for this noun phrase]
adjective
British English
- The liquefied-natural-gas industry is a major employer.
- They reviewed the new liquefied natural gas proposal.
American English
- The liquefied-natural-gas export license was approved.
- Investing in liquefied natural gas infrastructure is costly.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"The long-term contract secures a stable price for the LNG shipment."
Academic
"The study examines the life-cycle carbon footprint of liquefied natural gas versus coal."
Everyday
"They're building a new port for those giant LNG tankers."
Technical
"The gas is cooled to -162°C for liquefaction, reducing its volume by approximately 600 times."
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “liquefied natural gas”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “liquefied natural gas”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “liquefied natural gas”
- Misspelling as 'liquidified natural gas' or 'liquified natural gas' (variant exists, but 'liquefied' is standard in this compound).
- Incorrectly using 'LNG' to refer to any pressurized gas canister (e.g., for cooking).
- Pronouncing it as a word /lɪŋ/ instead of spelling out the letters 'L-N-G'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is the same substance (methane), but in a different state. The LNG is regasified back into its vapour form before being piped to homes.
It allows countries without pipeline connections to major gas fields to import natural gas by sea, enhancing global energy trade and security.
It is a fossil fuel but burns cleaner than coal or oil. Its full environmental impact includes emissions from production, liquefaction, transport, and potential methane leakage.
It is the industrial process of cooling natural gas to approximately -162°C (-260°F) to condense it into a liquid, called LNG.
Natural gas (predominantly methane) that has been cooled to a liquid state for ease of storage and transport.
Liquefied natural gas is usually technical, business, academic in register.
Liquefied natural gas: in British English it is pronounced /ˈlɪkwɪfaɪd ˈnætʃ(ə)rəl ɡæs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈlɪkwəˌfaɪd ˈnætʃrəl ɡæs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[None specific to this technical term]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: Liquid + Natural Gas -> Liquefied Natural Gas. It's natural gas turned into a liquid for a long trip in a ship.
Conceptual Metaphor
ENERGY AS A COMMODITY (packaged, shipped, traded like a physical good); NATURAL GAS AS A LIQUID (for containment and movement).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary advantage of liquefying natural gas?