biofuel

noun

bio·​fu·​el ˌbī-(ˌ)ō-ˈfyü(-ə)l 

: a fuel (such as wood or ethanol) composed of or produced from biological raw materials compare fossil fuel

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Since the early 19th century, "fossil fuel" has been used to refer to fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas which are formed from the remains of plants and animals which have lain in the earth for millions of years. In the 1970s, a new word, "biofuel," began to be used to describe a different kind of fuel, one taken from more contemporary organic matter. These fuels include ethanol, which can be derived from such products as corn and sugarcane, and biodiesel, which can be formed from vegetable oils. These organic sources are reflected in the prefix, bio-, meaning "life" or "living organisms or tissue." The prefix bio- was borrowed from the Greek bios, meaning "mode of life."

Examples of biofuel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Biomass energy includes the burning of wood, human and animal waste, and agricultural crops for heat and electricity and the converting of such crops as corn and soybeans into liquid biofuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel. —Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026

Plentiful inventories weigh on prices for crop farmers and ease costs for livestock producers and biofuel manufacturers. —Tom Polansek, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026

Gussi, the president of UNICA, said that since the latest Iran war several heads of state have approached him to discuss Brazil’s biofuels industry. —ABC News, 31 Mar. 2026

End biofuel mandates, which harm the environment and inflate grocery bills. —Editorial, Boston Herald, 30 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1974, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for biofuel

• accrual
• nonfuel
• refuel
• renewal
• contextual
• nonrenewal
• nonsexual
• unusual
• cruel
• dual
• duel
• fuel

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