biofuel

noun

bio·fu·el ˌbi-(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

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Such is certainly not the case in Europe, North America and the rest of the Western world, though, where the plant is typically only grown as a source of biofuel. —

Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 16 Feb. 2025 Other sources being promoted are coal, hydropower, biofuels, critical minerals and nuclear power. —

Judith Kohler, The Denver Post, 9 Feb. 2025 The grain is used for products like bread, pasta, biofuels, feed, and brewing. —

Alana Semuels, TIME, 4 Feb. 2025 Instead of extracting energy from fossil fuels, my team at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center of the University of Wisconsin-Madison focuses on developing sustainable biofuels and bioproducts from plant waste. —

Blaise Manga Enuh, Discover Magazine, 6 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for biofuel