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 Iran, microscopic soot formed when hydrocarbons in the fuel oil burned incompletely, experts said. —Tammy Webber, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2026

This continental collision gave rise to the Zagros Mountains, which push down on the Arabian plate in a way that has created a basin in Earth’s crust that traps hydrocarbons—hence, all that oil and gas. —Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 12 Mar. 2026

Gulf countries import most of their food and manufactured products, and rely on open shipping lanes to export — in addition to hydrocarbons — aluminum, fertilizers, and other goods. —Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 11 Mar. 2026

Oil is a chemical starting point Crude oil is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons – molecules made mainly of carbon and hydrogen. —André O. Hudson, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 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