petroleum

noun

pe·​tro·​leum pə-ˈtrō-lē-əm How to pronounce petroleum (audio)
-ˈtrōl-yəm
: an oily flammable bituminous liquid that may vary from almost colorless to black, occurs in many places in the upper strata of the earth, is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons with small amounts of other substances, and is prepared for use as gasoline, naphtha, or other products by various refining processes

Examples of petroleum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Smaller-scale hikes in the city’s gas tax, motor vehicle registration fees and petroleum business tax could raise an additional $3.4 billion, PCAC reported. Claire Valdez, New York Daily News, 28 Mar. 2025 Citi upgrades TotalEnergies to buy from neutral Citi says the European petroleum company has growth potential. Michael Bloom, CNBC, 26 Mar. 2025 According to Tass, an oil tank leaked before petroleum products caught fire. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 23 Mar. 2025 Meanwhile, petroleum and telecommunications were among the worst-performing subsectors. Brendan Ahern, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for petroleum

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, "mineral oil," borrowed from Medieval Latin, "mineral oil, crude oil," from Latin petra "rock" (borrowed from Greek pétra) + oleum "oil" — more at petro-, oil entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of petroleum was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Petroleum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/petroleum. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

petroleum

noun
pe·​tro·​leum pə-ˈtrō-lē-əm How to pronounce petroleum (audio)
-ˈtrōl-yəm
: an oily flammable liquid that may vary from almost colorless to black, is obtained from wells drilled in the ground, and is the source of gasoline, kerosene, fuel oils, and other products

Medical Definition

petroleum

noun
: an oily flammable bituminous liquid that may vary from almost colorless to black, occurs in many places in the upper strata of the earth, is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons with small amounts of other substances, and is prepared for use as gasoline, naphtha, or other products by various refining processes

More from Merriam-Webster on petroleum

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!