petrochemical

1 of 2

noun (1)

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

petrochemistry

2 of 2

noun (2)

pe·​tro·​chemistry "+ 

1

: the chemistry of rocks

2

: the chemistry of petroleum

especially : a branch of chemistry dealing with the production of petrochemicals

Examples of petrochemical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

After Chey Jong-gun died in 1973, his younger brother, Chey Jong-hyon, took over the company and began expanding into petrochemicals and oil refining. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Oct. 2026

In Houston, energy meant refineries and petrochemical plants. — Harry Bruinius, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Sep. 2026

Its Global Optimizer system analyzes Aramco’s refining and petrochemical assets, and the tool takes in news reports, economic data, and demand signals to recommend which markets to prioritize. — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 17 Sep. 2026

Many reduced or eliminated their petrochemical use, stopped tilling their fields and added additional plant varieties and cover crops to protect the soil. — Sydney Giacalone, The Conversation, 17 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

petro- + chemical entry 2

Noun (2)

petr- + chemistry

First Known Use

Noun (1)

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