petrochemical

noun

pet·​ro·​chem·​i·​cal ˌpe-trō-ˈke-mi-kəl 

: a chemical isolated or derived from petroleum or natural gas

petrochemistry

ˌpe-trō-ˈke-mə-strē 

noun

Examples of petrochemical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Chang Chun, a Taiwanese petrochemical firm, now manufactures electronic-grade hydrogen peroxide in Casa Grande, a city of some 70,000 people halfway between Phoenix and Tucson. — Gaby Del Valle, The Verge, 29 Oct. 2026

Federal agencies and the plastics and petrochemical industries scrambled to respond. — Susanne Rust follow, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026

The certification means the raw materials used in the formulas are made from 100% natural-origin ingredients, manufactured by environmentally friendly methods, and free from GMOs and petrochemicals. — Brianna Peters, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2026

But new technologies are opening the door to transition a portion of the inputs from petrochemicals to plants, trimming the environmental impact of these fibers. — Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

petro- + chemical entry 2

First Known Use

1942, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for petrochemical

• academical
• agrochemical
• biochemical
• cytochemical
• geochemical
• histochemical
• microchemical
• neurochemical
• photochemical
• phytochemical
• spectrochemical
• thermochemical

Kids Definition

petrochemical

noun

pet·​ro·​chem·​i·​cal ˌpe-trō-ˈkem-i-kəl 

: a chemical obtained from petroleum or natural gas