petrol

noun

pet·​rol ˈpe-trəl 

-ˌträl

chiefly British

: gasoline

Examples of petrol in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The petrol tanker exploded after the driver lost control in the town of Majiya, in northwestern Nigeria, late on Tuesday, Shi'isu Adam, a spokesperson for the Jigawa regional police, told reporters on Wednesday. —James Bwala, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2024

This season that showed in its new patchwork wrap coat that was more blanket than boho, and a cool palette of petrol blue, deep khaki and burgundy that was on trend with the key colors seen on the runways. —Rhonda Richford, WWD, 4 Oct. 2024

Their all-new Class A motorhome promises a robust 500 miles (805 km) of range from a combination of 140-kWh battery pack and petrol range extender. —New Atlas, 23 Sep. 2024

The Uganda Athletics Federation has confirmed petrol as the liquid Nidiema is alleged to have doused Cheptegei with prior to lighting her on fire. —Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 3 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French pétrole "petroleum, any of various products distilled from petroleum," going back to Old French petteroile, petrole "mineral oil, petroleum," borrowed from Medieval Latin petroleum — more at petroleum

Note: The use of the word in English is apparently owed to a cooperative endeavor by the British distilling and oil refining firm Carless, Capel and Leonard and the engineer Frederick Richard Simms, who had purchased the rights to Gottlieb Daimler's gasoline-powered engine. Though an attempt to register petrol as a trademark was unsuccessful, Carless, Capel and Leonard continued to use it as a marketing name. Note that French pétrole (rather than essence de pétrole) is used for distilled petroleum products by Gustave Richard in Les nouveaux moteurs à gaz et à pétrole (Paris, 1892). The now usual French word essence for "gasoline" is shortened from essence de pétrole.

First Known Use

1895, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing petrol

• petrol bomb
• petrol station

Kids Definition

petrol

noun

pet·​rol ˈpe-trəl 

-ˌträl

chiefly British

: gasoline