a colourless oily insoluble liquid formerly used in petrol to prevent knocking. Its use has been banned in most developed countries due to its toxicity. Formula: Pb(C2H5)4
Systematic name: lead tetraethyl. Former names: tetramethyl lead, tetramethyllead
tetraethyl lead in American English
(ˈtɛtrəˈɛθəl)
US
a heavy, colorless, poisonous compound of lead, Pb(C2H5)4, added to gasoline to increase power and prevent engine knock