51Թ

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petroleum

[ puh-troh-lee-uhm ]

noun

  1. an oily, thick, flammable, usually dark-colored liquid that is a form of bitumen or a mixture of various hydrocarbons, occurring naturally in various parts of the world and commonly obtained by drilling: used in a natural or refined state as fuel, or separated by distillation into gasoline, naphtha, benzene, kerosene, paraffin, etc.


petroleum

/ əˈٰəʊɪə /

noun

  1. a dark-coloured thick flammable crude oil occurring in sedimentary rocks around the Persian Gulf, in parts of North and South America, and below the North Sea, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons. Fractional distillation separates the crude oil into petrol, paraffin, diesel oil, lubricating oil, etc. Fuel oil, paraffin wax, asphalt, and carbon black are extracted from the residue
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

petroleum

  1. A thick, flammable, yellow-to-black mixture of gaseous, liquid, and solid hydrocarbons that occurs naturally beneath the Earth's surface. It can be separated into fractions including natural gas, gasoline, naphtha, kerosene, paraffin wax, asphalt, and fuel and lubricating oils, and is used as raw material for a wide variety of derivative products. It is believed to originate from the accumulated remains of fossil plants and animals, especially in shallow marine environments.
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Other 51Թ Forms

  • ·ٰl·dzܲ adjective
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of petroleum1

1520–30; < Medieval Latin: literally, rock oil, equivalent to Latin petr ( a ) rock (< Greek éٰ ) + oleum oil
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of petroleum1

C16: from Medieval Latin, from Latin petra stone + oleum oil
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Compare Meanings

How does petroleum compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Part of Trump's "maximum pressure" policy toward Tehran, the sanctions announced on Wednesday target entities said by the US to be involved in the illicit trade of Iranian petroleum and petrochemicals.

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Particularly feared by civilians was the use of napalm bombs, with more than 400,000 tons of the thickened petroleum used during the war.

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Its biggest economies - Brazil and Argentina - are major exporters of soybeans and petroleum as well as, in Brazil's case, iron ore used in steel production.

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The US also sent pharmaceuticals and petroleum to China.

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And Moscow's recent decision to extend the ban on petroleum exports shows that they're feeling the pain.

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petrol enginepetroleum ether