Definition of hydrocarbon
: an organic compound (such as acetylene or butane) containing only carbon and hydrogen and often occurring in petroleum, natural gas, coal, and bitumens
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Recent Examples of hydrocarbon from the Web
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In the mid-1970s, Dale Flook applied for a patent on the concept of using a computer to monitor a process of catalytic conversion of hydrocarbons.
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Diakaridia Koulibaly, who was director-general of the National Office of Petroleum, will join the cabinet as minister in charge of hydrocarbons.
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Now, Perry wants to add to that, bringing in U.S. pipeline developers to expand the play’s infrastructure and petrochemical companies to process the hydrocarbons once they’ve been moved out of the isolated shale fields.
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Dunes are found on Earth, Mars, Venus, Saturn’s moon Titan (where they’re made of hydrocarbons) and perhaps even the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
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The other, trimesoyl chloride (TMC), can be dissolved only in an organic solvent such as decane, an oily hydrocarbon.
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Titan, Saturn's largest moon, whose surface remained invisible through its thick, ubiquitous haze, nonetheless teased observers with hints of a possible ocean of liquid hydrocarbons.
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To add insult to injury, when fat and juices drip into the grill, the flames and smoke that result coat the meat in another cancer-causing chemical called polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
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The activists have succeeded in redirecting investment flows away from the coal and oil-sands industries, with crude oil the next hydrocarbon in the crosshairs.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hydrocarbon.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of hydrocarbon
1826
HYDROCARBON Defined for English Language Learners
Definition of hydrocarbon for English Language Learners
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: a substance (such as coal or natural gas) that contains only carbon and hydrogen
HYDROCARBON Defined for Kids
Definition of hydrocarbon for Students
: a substance containing only carbon and hydrogen
Medical Dictionary
Learn More about hydrocarbon
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Spanish Central: Translation of hydrocarbon Nglish: Translation of hydrocarbon for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hydrocarbon
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