petrochemical

noun

pet·​ro·​chem·​i·​cal ˌpe-trō-ˈke-mi-kəl 

: a chemical isolated or derived from petroleum or natural gas

petrochemistry

ˌpe-trō-ˈke-mə-strē 

noun

Examples of petrochemical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Coupled with a boost to North American petrochemical profit margins from the Iran war and resulting high oil prices, Dow posted its most profitable quarter last week in four years, reporting a net income of $802 million and a 20% jump in net sales. — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 30 July 2026

To push back, Julien Pouille, who leads the climate and health strategic team and is lead author of the report, argues that lessening reliance on petrochemical products would help mitigate rising medicine costs and improve the climate. — Ed Silverman, STAT, 30 July 2026

Another notable trend in technical textiles is the goal of escaping petrochemical dependency through green chemistry, bio-fabrication and circular textile systems. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 27 July 2026

Propane — a byproduct of natural gas production and oil refining — is a fuel used in heating, cooking, petrochemical production, and farming, among other things. — Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 17 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

petro- + chemical entry 2

First Known Use

1942, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for petrochemical

• academical
• agrochemical
• biochemical
• cytochemical
• geochemical
• histochemical
• microchemical
• neurochemical
• photochemical
• phytochemical
• spectrochemical
• thermochemical

Kids Definition

petrochemical

noun

pet·​ro·​chem·​i·​cal ˌpe-trō-ˈkem-i-kəl 

: a chemical obtained from petroleum or natural gas