biofuel

noun

bio·​fu·​el ˌbi-(ˌ)ō-ˈfyü(-ə)l How to pronounce biofuel (audio)
: a fuel (such as wood or ethanol) composed of or produced from biological raw materials compare fossil fuel

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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

Recent Examples on the Web Measuring emissions by intensity means a company can technically increase its fossil fuel output and overall emissions while using offsets or adding renewable energy or biofuels to its product mix. Reuters, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024 The duck doesn’t know it—and who could blame it, really—but azolla may soon spread across human civilization, becoming food for people and livestock, fertilizer for crops, and even biofuel. Matt Simon, WIRED, 11 Mar. 2024 The unique setup was to include four electric motors and two turbines that ran on either natural gas, diesel, or biofuels to keep the vehicle’s battery charged. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 6 Mar. 2024 As discussed, the end game is batteries and biofuels, often in hybrid-electric aircraft. Michael Barnard, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 For example, the EU Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) directive generated a flurry of investment activity in liquid biofuels. Wood MacKenzie, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Producers of less carbon intensive fuel — such as biofuel, ethanol and biomethane — sell those credits to gasoline and diesel producers who rack up deficits. Ari Plachta, Sacramento Bee, 23 Feb. 2024 While deforestation rates have slowed lately, Mr. Prabowo’s promises to produce more biofuels could quickly reverse those gains. Somini Sengupta, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2024 Most recently, Higbee and other Nevada officials have proposed converting them into green methanol — a biofuel that could be used for everything from generating electricity to powering cargo ships calling on the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Louis Sahagún, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'biofuel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1974, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of biofuel was in 1974

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Cite this Entry

“Biofuel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biofuel. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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