natural gas

noun

1

: gas issuing from the earth's crust through natural openings or bored wells

especially : a combustible mixture of methane and other hydrocarbons used chiefly as a fuel and raw material

2

: gas manufactured from organic matter (such as coal)

Examples of natural gas in a Sentence

a house heated by natural gas

Recent Examples on the Web

Pennsylvania residents also may see some of their natural gas exported to Europe to help break Vladimir Putin’s energy hold on that continent. —Daniel Markind, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024

Last year, the U.S. became the world’s largest exporter of natural gas and was building many of these enormous new export terminals. —Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2024

As of 2022, Taiwan reportedly had only enough stockpiles for 39 days of coal, 146 days of oil, and 11 days of natural gas. —Joshua Keating, Vox, 16 Dec. 2024

But the fossil fuel industry and energy analysts have argued for months that the tech sector will ultimately have to embrace natural gas because nuclear plants simply take too long to build. —Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 14 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

natural gas

noun

: gas that comes from the earth's crust through natural openings or bored wells

especially : a flammable mixture of hydrocarbons and especially methane used chiefly as a fuel and raw material