petroleum

noun

pe·​tro·​leum pə-ˈtrō-lē-əm 

-ˈtrōl-yəm

: an oily flammable bituminous liquid that may vary from almost colorless to black, occurs in many places in the upper strata of the earth, is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons with small amounts of other substances, and is prepared for use as gasoline, naphtha, or other products by various refining processes

Examples of petroleum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Also, reducing gas taxes only spurs demand without increasing supply, which can end up raising prices, said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026

Sunkyong sought to control more of its supply chain, from securing and refining petroleum to producing the materials used in its textile businesses. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Oct. 2026

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach transitioned away from open-air coal and petroleum coke storage three decades ago. — Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026

Banks have become more willing to support petroleum projects, but funding is just the first step in the multiyear process of bringing more oil to market. — The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, "mineral oil," borrowed from Medieval Latin, "mineral oil, crude oil," from Latin petra "rock" (borrowed from Greek pétra) + oleum "oil" — more at petro-, oil entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing petroleum

• liquefied petroleum gas
• petroleum jelly

Rhymes for petroleum

• folium
• lolium
• oleum
• scholium
• linoleum
• trifolium
• tetrazolium

Kids Definition

petroleum

noun

pe·​tro·​leum pə-ˈtrō-lē-əm 

-ˈtrōl-yəm

: an oily flammable liquid that may vary from almost colorless to black, is obtained from wells drilled in the ground, and is the source of gasoline, kerosene, fuel oils, and other products

Medical Definition

petroleum

noun

pe·​tro·​leum pə-ˈtrō-lē-əm, -ˈtrōl-yəm 

: an oily flammable bituminous liquid that may vary from almost colorless to black, occurs in many places in the upper strata of the earth, is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons with small amounts of other substances, and is prepared for use as gasoline, naphtha, or other products by various refining processes