hydrocarbon

noun

hy·​dro·​car·​bon ˈhī-drō-ˌkär-bən 

: an organic compound (such as acetylene or butane) containing only carbon and hydrogen and often occurring in petroleum, natural gas, coal, and bitumens

Examples of hydrocarbon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The expansion will quadruple its footprint from 1,112 acres (450 hectares) to 4,645 acres (1,880 hectares), adding four specialized terminals for containers, hydrocarbons, general cargo, and storage. —Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025

Renewables, although not suitable to replace hydrocarbons, can supplement the energy supply, enabling the country to maximize the benefits of LNG exports. —Ariel Cohen, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025

Palladium is also essential in catalytic converters, as the metal serves as a catalyst in the chemical process of hydrogenation in unsaturated hydrocarbons. —Victor Rosario, Sacramento Bee, 26 Feb. 2025

About 30 percent of the world’s population still depends on traditional biomass for cooking, and demand for hydrocarbons has yet to peak or even plateau. —Daniel Yergin, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing hydrocarbon

• polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon
• polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon

Rhymes for hydrocarbon

• fluorocarbon
• carbon

Kids Definition

hydrocarbon

noun

hy·​dro·​car·​bon ˌhī-drə-ˈkär-bən 

: a compound containing only carbon and hydrogen

Medical Definition

hydrocarbon

noun

hy·​dro·​car·​bon -ˈkär-bən 

: an organic compound (as acetylene, benzene, or butane) containing only carbon and hydrogen and often occurring in petroleum, natural gas, coal, and bitumens