1872; see hepta- "seven" + chemical ending -ane. So called for its 7 carbon molecules.
Entries linking to heptane
hepta-
before vowels hept-, word-forming element meaning "seven," from Greek hepta "seven," cognate with Latin septem, Gothic sibun, Old English seofon, from PIE root *septm (see seven).
-ane
word-forming element in chemical use, indicating a chain of carbon atoms with no double bonds, proposed 1866 by German chemist August Wilhelm von Hofmann (1818-1892) to go with -ene, -ine (2), -one.