petrol

noun

pet·​rol ˈpe-trəl 

-ˌträl

chiefly British

: gasoline

Examples of petrol in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The president has largely put out most fires that started during his tenure, beginning with a national uproar in his first few months following the sensational end to petrol subsidies. —Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026

Two students rushed in with the news: this young man had brought two cans of petrol with him, doused himself, and set himself on fire. —Azar Nafisi, Time, 3 Feb. 2026

Beyond the hybrid and electric offerings, Toyota also plans to offer standalone diesel and petrol engine options for select Eastern European markets. —New Atlas, 16 Jan. 2026

There were also widespread protests in 2019, sparked by a sharp increase in the price of petrol. —CBS News, 2 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French pétrole "petroleum, any of various products distilled from petroleum," going back to Old French petteroile, petrole "mineral oil, petroleum," borrowed from Medieval Latin petroleum — more at petroleum

Note: The use of the word in English is apparently owed to a cooperative endeavor by the British distilling and oil refining firm Carless, Capel and Leonard and the engineer Frederick Richard Simms, who had purchased the rights to Gottlieb Daimler's gasoline-powered engine. Though an attempt to register petrol as a trademark was unsuccessful, Carless, Capel and Leonard continued to use it as a marketing name. Note that French pétrole (rather than essence de pétrole) is used for distilled petroleum products by Gustave Richard in Les nouveaux moteurs à gaz et à pétrole (Paris, 1892). The now usual French word essence for "gasoline" is shortened from essence de pétrole.

First Known Use

1895, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing petrol

• petrol bomb
• petrol station

Kids Definition

petrol

noun

pet·​rol ˈpe-trəl 

-ˌträl

chiefly British

: gasoline