petrol

noun

pet·​rol ˈpe-trəl 

-ˌträl

chiefly British

: gasoline

Examples of petrol in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Higher petrol costs have sparked deadly protests and strikes across Africa, with demonstrators in Comoros, Kenya, and Mozambique clashing with authorities in recent days. —Semafor Events, semafor.com, 22 May 2026

Now, seemingly under pressure from the economic fallout from the war with Iran, Modi has framed ordinary consumer choices, such as buying less petrol and choosing work-from-home, as acts of patriotism. —Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 21 May 2026

It was powered by a Rolls-Royce Meteor Mark III V12 petrol engine with an improved Christie suspension system with return rollers. —Matthew S Williams, Interesting Engineering, 20 May 2026

The petrol engine remains active more often than in full-hybrid competitors, and refinement could be better. —Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026

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