-
- To save this word, you'll need to log in.
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
In an email, Choi said lupus patients had too much of a protein called interferon, which helps fight infection, and not enough aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) proteins, which regulate the body’s response to infection.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 12 July 2024
Though various energy sources can be technically used to release hydrogen from hydrocarbon molecules, around 95% of hydrogen currently produced in the US is made using natural gas which is itself a major source of CO2 emissions.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 11 July 2024
The study, published in Nature and led by researchers at Northwestern and Harvard, pinpoint the aryl hydrocarbon receptor, or AHR, as a controller of this seesaw.
—Elaine Chen Reprints, STAT, 11 July 2024
The major challenge to developing a new treatment, according to Choi, is finding ways to administer it without activating aryl hydrocarbon receptors throughout the whole body, which may result in more side effects.
—Aria Bendix, NBC News, 10 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for hydrocarbon
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hydrocarbon.' 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
1826, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing hydrocarbon
Dictionary Entries Near hydrocarbon
Cite this Entry
“Hydrocarbon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hydrocarbon. Accessed 10 Sep. 2024.
Kids Definition
hydrocarbon
noun
hy·dro·car·bon
ˌhī-drə-ˈkär-bən
: a compound containing only carbon and hydrogen
More from Merriam-Webster on hydrocarbon
Nglish: Translation of hydrocarbon for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hydrocarbon
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share