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
Alesandra Dubin, HollywoodReporter, 18 May 2025
The bank said Calumet shares can see notable upside through growth in its biofuels business.
—Michelle Fox, CNBC, 13 May 2025
At the same time, harvested switchgrass is being adopted as a booster in novel processes to turn chicken litter — excrement and bedding left as byproducts of poultry production — into biofuel.
—Robin Roenker, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2025
The Inflation Reduction Act included hundreds of billions’ worth of tax credits for energy sources, including solar, wind, biofuels, nuclear, hydrogen and carbon capture, as well as electric vehicles, as part of an effort to combat climate change.
—Rachel Frazin, The Hill, 1 May 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Biofuel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biofuel. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
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