Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "olefin" tana nufin wani hydrocarbon mai ɗauke da ɗaya ko fiye da carbon-carbon double bonds, kuma an san shi da alkene. Olefins sune mahadi marasa ma'ana tare da ma'anar CnH2n gabaɗaya, inda "n" shine lamba. Suna da mahimmanci a masana'antar sinadarai a matsayin kayan farawa don samar da samfurori da yawa, ciki har da robobi, fibers na roba, da sauran ƙarfi.
