fossil fuel

noun

: a fuel (such as coal, oil, or natural gas) formed in the earth from plant or animal remains

fossil-fueled

ˈfä-səl-ˌfyü(-ə)ld 

adjective

Examples of fossil fuel in a Sentence

oil and other fossil fuels

Recent Examples on the Web

Scientists have debated how much unnatural warming — built up in greenhouse gases released by burning fossil fuels — is likely to tip us into disastrously unmanageable weather systems. —Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 1 Dec. 2025

Advertisement Plastic, which is made from fossil fuels, wasn’t designed to be recycled. —Judith Enck, Time, 1 Dec. 2025

Large farming operations routinely generate biogas in massive volumes at costs far below those of conventional grid energy or fossil fuels. —Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 30 Nov. 2025

Florida’s future The scientific consensus on climate change finds that fossil fuels like oil, gas and coal are the largest contributors to long-term shifts in average temperatures and weather patterns being seen around the world. —Kylie Williams, Miami Herald, 29 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1759, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for fossil fuel

• accrual
• nonfuel
• refuel
• renewal
• biofuel
• contextual
• nonrenewal
• nonsexual
• unusual
• cruel
• dual
• duel

Kids Definition

fossil fuel

noun

: a fuel (as coal, oil, or natural gas) that is formed in the earth from plant or animal remains