kerosene

noun

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ker·o·sene | \ ˈker-ə-ˌsēn

, ˌker-ə-ˈsēn \

variants: or less commonly kerosine

Definition of kerosene

: a flammable hydrocarbon oil usually obtained by distillation of petroleum and used as a fuel, solvent, and thinner

Examples of kerosene in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web On a plaza, dozens of people mixed explosive formulas of kerosene, flour, and sugar. — Suzanne Sataline, Quartz, "How one fighter made his escape from the worst battle of Hong Kong’s protests," 30 Nov. 2019 The cremator’s rule of thumb: 100 pounds of human fat is the equivalent of 17 gallons of kerosene. — Caren Chesler, Popular Mechanics, "Burning Out: What Really Happens Inside a Crematorium," 8 Nov. 2019 In the final days, college staff searched for holdouts, and were followed by officers who collected bottles filled with kerosene and dusted surfaces for fingerprints. — Suzanne Sataline, Quartz, "How one fighter made his escape from the worst battle of Hong Kong’s protests," 30 Nov. 2019 Elders recall growing up here and in nearby camps, attending school in a log cabin lit by kerosene and learning English as a second language. — Kyle Hopkins, ProPublica, "After the Last Cop Killed Himself, All the Criminals Have to Do Is Hide," 24 Oct. 2019 Program eligibility is determined by total household gross income and is available for all heated households using oil, kerosene, propane, wood, coal, electric, or natural gas heat, except motorhomes and campers. — courant.com, "Community News For The Windham Edition," 15 Nov. 2019 Open a window slightly when using a kerosene heater and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. — Leada Gore | Lgore@al.com, al, "Freeze warning in Alabama: How to protect your pipes from freezing, cold-weather safety tips," 12 Nov. 2019 This is in part because the electricity for the railway was generated by dirty fossil fuels such as coal, whereas commercial aircraft tend to burn kerosene, a much cleaner fuel. — C.r., The Economist, "Why trains are not always as green as they seem," 12 Aug. 2019 It is fueled by kerosene, which Zapata carried 104 pounds of in his backpack, Agence France-Presse reported. — Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, "Hoverboard crossing of English Channel scuttled by fall into sea," 25 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'kerosene.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

19 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Kerosene.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kerosene. Accessed 19 January 2020.

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More Definitions for kerosene

kerosene

noun

English Language Learners Definition of kerosene

chiefly US : a type of oil that is burned as a fuel

See the full definition for kerosene in the English Language Learners Dictionary

kerosene

noun

ker·o·sene | \ ˈker-ə-ˌsēn

Kids Definition of kerosene

: a thin oil obtained from petroleum and used as a fuel and solvent

kerosene

noun

ker·o·sene

variants: also kerosine \ ˈker-ə-ˌsēn

, ˌker-ə-ˈ

, ˈkar- , ˌkar- \

Medical Definition of kerosene

: a flammable hydrocarbon oil usually obtained by distillation of petroleum and used for a fuel and as a solvent and thinner (as in insecticide emulsions)

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