petrol

noun

pet·​rol ˈpe-trəl 

-ˌträl

chiefly British

: gasoline

Examples of petrol in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Travelers carried their own cans, buying petrol at general stores where kerosene was also sold (for lighting and cooking). —The Detroit News, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2025

Driving The 2025 Suzuki Vitara Hybrid This review focuses on the 1.4-litre mild hybrid six-speed petrol rather than the 1.5-litre self-charging hybrid. —Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025

That was driven by an increase in housing and grocery prices, but those increases were offset by declines in other areas, such as petrol, air fares and clothing. —Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 July 2025

In terms of performance, the petrol G 500 is slightly faster, completing the 0-60 mph sprint in 5.4 seconds. —New Atlas, 14 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French pétrole "petroleum, any of various products distilled from petroleum," going back to Old French petteroile, petrole "mineral oil, petroleum," borrowed from Medieval Latin petroleum — more at petroleum

Note: The use of the word in English is apparently owed to a cooperative endeavor by the British distilling and oil refining firm Carless, Capel and Leonard and the engineer Frederick Richard Simms, who had purchased the rights to Gottlieb Daimler's gasoline-powered engine. Though an attempt to register petrol as a trademark was unsuccessful, Carless, Capel and Leonard continued to use it as a marketing name. Note that French pétrole (rather than essence de pétrole) is used for distilled petroleum products by Gustave Richard in Les nouveaux moteurs à gaz et à pétrole (Paris, 1892). The now usual French word essence for "gasoline" is shortened from essence de pétrole.

First Known Use

1895, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing petrol

• petrol bomb
• petrol station

Kids Definition

petrol

noun

pet·​rol ˈpe-trəl 

-ˌträl

chiefly British

: gasoline