petroleum

noun

pe·​tro·​leum pə-ˈtrō-lē-əm 

-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

The country is the world’s fifth-biggest petroleum producer (Iran is ninth) and is subject to no international sanctions on its oil exports, unlike Iran and its proxies. —Michael Knights, Foreign Affairs, 11 Mar. 2025

Kovalenko said the plant produces a wide range of petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel fuel and fuel oil, which are used by transport and military equipment. —David Brennan, ABC News, 10 Mar. 2025

Canada supplies the overwhelming majority of crude oil, electricity, and natural gas imports into the U.S., meaning that New England could see gas prices surge by 40 cents per gallon within days, according to GasBuddy’s head of petroleum analysis. —Tiana Lowe Doescher, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Mar. 2025

Oil and gas are some of the U.S.' top imports from Mexico, while top imports from Canada are crude oil, petroleum gas and coal. —Ivana Saric, Axios, 6 Mar. 2025

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

Phrases Containing petroleum

• liquefied petroleum gas
• petroleum jelly

Rhymes for petroleum

• folium
• lolium
• oleum
• scholium
• linoleum
• trifolium
• tetrazolium

Kids Definition

petroleum

noun

pe·​tro·​leum pə-ˈtrō-lē-əm 

-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

pe·​tro·​leum pə-ˈtrō-lē-əm, -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