hydrocarbon

noun

hy·​dro·​car·​bon ˈhī-drō-ˌkär-bən How to pronounce hydrocarbon (audio)
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The methane leaks appear to occur in areas of the ocean that experience seepage of fluids rich in hydrocarbons, according to the paper. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 11 Oct. 2025 These compounds also work by stimulating the aryl hydrocarbon receptor, which boosts Treg numbers and activity. Mitzi Nagarkatti, The Conversation, 10 Oct. 2025 German scientists in the 1920s used heat and pressure to turn gas into liquid or solid hydrocarbons, and a chemist at Sunoco injected oxygen into those solids to create edible fats in the 1930s. Megan Sauer, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2025 It’s been more than a decade since NASA’s Curiosity rover first detected chlorinated hydrocarbons on Mars. Dirk Schulze-Makuch, Big Think, 17 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hydrocarbon

Word History

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hydrocarbon was in 1826

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hydrocarbon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hydrocarbon. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

hydrocarbon

noun
hy·​dro·​car·​bon ˌhī-drə-ˈkär-bən How to pronounce hydrocarbon (audio)
: a compound containing only carbon and hydrogen

Medical Definition

hydrocarbon

noun
hy·​dro·​car·​bon -ˈkär-bən How to pronounce hydrocarbon (audio)
: an organic compound (as acetylene, benzene, or butane) containing only carbon and hydrogen and often occurring in petroleum, natural gas, coal, and bitumens

More from Merriam-Webster on hydrocarbon

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