hydrocarbon

noun

hy·​dro·​car·​bon ˈhī-drō-ˌkär-bən 

: an organic compound (such as acetylene or butane) containing only carbon and hydrogen and often occurring in petroleum, natural gas, coal, and bitumens

Examples of hydrocarbon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Reliance’s activities span hydrocarbon exploration and production, petroleum refining and marketing, petrochemicals, advanced materials and composites, renewables (solar and hydrogen), retail, digital services and media and entertainment. —Time Pr, Time, 24 Apr. 2026

From the ultra-deep waters of Brazil’s Santos Basin to the arid shale fields of Argentina’s Patagonia, a new hydrocarbon boom is welling up across Latin America. —Juan Pablo Spinetto, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026

By controlling access in and out of the strait, Iran was effectively the only country that could export hydrocarbons for several weeks as oil prices rocketed toward $120 a barrel. —Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2026

Since Maduro’s capture, Rodríguez has led an interim government that has engaged with the United States on a range of issues, including hydrocarbons and mining, as part of a broader strategic alignment. —Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing hydrocarbon

• polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon
• polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon

Rhymes for hydrocarbon

• fluorocarbon
• carbon

Kids Definition

hydrocarbon

noun

hy·​dro·​car·​bon ˌhī-drə-ˈkär-bən 

: a compound containing only carbon and hydrogen

Medical Definition

hydrocarbon

noun

hy·​dro·​car·​bon -ˈkär-bən 

: an organic compound (as acetylene, benzene, or butane) containing only carbon and hydrogen and often occurring in petroleum, natural gas, coal, and bitumens