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

These hydrocarbons are all different weights, and the lighter ones don’t long survive contact with the air. —Ian Rose, JSTOR Daily, 23 July 2025

The reliance on hydrocarbon income created a unique commercial environment where the private sector has a limited incentive to allocate resources to R&D. —Omar Al-Ubaydli, semafor.com, 16 July 2025

These lakes and Titan's seas are filled with liquid hydrocarbons like ethane and methane rather than water. —Robert Lea, Space.com, 15 July 2025

Under pressure, Moscow is expanding its hydrocarbon exports by boosting LNG shipments to the Asian markets from Siberia’s Yamal Peninsula. —Ariel Cohen, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025

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

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