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

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

But not long after poly aromatic hydrocarbons, commonly known as lampblack, were found in the soil. —Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 16 Sep. 2025

Contaminants found in the soil include total petroleum hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, lead, arsenic and chromium, the Terracon report stated. —Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 14 Sep. 2025

Italy’s Eni and France’s TotalEnergies are also exploring oil production opportunities in Congo Brazzaville, as the government tries to harness its hydrocarbon reserves to solve economic challenges. —Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 10 Sep. 2025

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