biofuel
noun
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Since the early 19th century, "fossil fuel" has been used to refer to fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas which are formed from the remains of plants and animals which have lain in the earth for millions of years. In the 1970s, a new word, "biofuel," began to be used to describe a different kind of fuel, one taken from more contemporary organic matter. These fuels include ethanol, which can be derived from such products as corn and sugarcane, and biodiesel, which can be formed from vegetable oils. These organic sources are reflected in the prefix, bio-, meaning "life" or "living organisms or tissue." The prefix bio- was borrowed from the Greek bios, meaning "mode of life."
Examples of biofuel in a Sentence
Daniel Cohan, The Conversation, 9 July 2025
With such environmental measures as recycling and biofuels often not living up to their hype, regulating plastic bags appears to count as a bright green win.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 19 June 2025
What’s more, only about 0.4 square miles of extra land would be needed for the biofuel required to power agricultural machinery.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 7 May 2025
The final step of the process uses what’s left after biofuel production as a stable, non-leaching crop fertilizer.
—Robin Roenker, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for biofuel
Cite this Entry
“Biofuel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biofuel. Accessed 28 Jul. 2025.
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