hydrocarbon

noun

hy·​dro·​car·​bon ˈhī-drō-ˌkär-bən 

: an organic compound (such as acetylene or butane) containing only carbon and hydrogen and often occurring in petroleum, natural gas, coal, and bitumens

Examples of hydrocarbon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That’s hitting Gulf economies, which rely on the waterways to export hydrocarbons and import everything from cars and machinery to food and agricultural products. — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 24 Aug. 2026

Again, an idling engine still emits exhaust gases such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and hydrocarbons, and these emissions will ultimately end up in the air and contribute to air pollution. — Molly Burford, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026

Because this transport happened quickly, the gas bypassed Fischer-Tropsch reactions that would normally turn hydrogen into other hydrocarbons. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 20 Aug. 2026

The spacecraft is designed to survive temperatures approaching -290°F (-179°C), methane rainfall and swirling hydrocarbon dust. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing hydrocarbon

• polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon
• polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon

Rhymes for hydrocarbon

• fluorocarbon
• carbon
• radiocarbon

Kids Definition

hydrocarbon

noun

hy·​dro·​car·​bon ˌhī-drə-ˈkär-bən 

: a compound containing only carbon and hydrogen

Medical Definition

hydrocarbon

noun

hy·​dro·​car·​bon -ˈkär-bən 

: an organic compound (as acetylene, benzene, or butane) containing only carbon and hydrogen and often occurring in petroleum, natural gas, coal, and bitumens