What does kerosene mean?
Kerosene is a flammable liquid made from petroleum and used chiefly as fuel for lamps, heaters, stoves, and lanterns. Historically, it was central to household lighting and cooking before electricity and modern gas appliances became widespread. Although the word can sound old-fashioned, kerosene remains important in some regions where electricity is unavailable or unreliable, and it also has specialized uses as a solvent and cleaning fluid. The name combines the Greek word for wax, kēros, with the chemical suffix -in, reflecting the substance’s waxy consistency and its historical relationship to petroleum products. In American English it is the usual term for this fuel, while British English speakers more often use paraffin, though regional and industrial usage varies.
A thin, flammable liquid derived from petroleum, used mainly as fuel for lamps, heaters, and stoves.
"The lamp needs more kerosene before it will burn properly."
In British English, paraffin is often preferred for the fuel used in household lamps and stoves.
A petroleum-derived liquid used as a solvent, cleaner, or industrial feedstock.
"The solvent was made from a mixture of kerosene and other hydrocarbons."
Plural forms are uncommon because kerosene is normally used as a mass noun; the plural is mainly appropriate when referring to different types or batches of kerosene.
"The laboratory tested several kerosenes for impurities."
Before electric lighting, a modest flame from a kerosene lamp transformed an ordinary evening into a working one.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does kerosene come from?
The word kerosene was formed in the 19th century from Greek kēros, meaning “wax,” and the suffix -in. The name referred to a petroleum-derived substance that had the appearance or consistency of wax. Its development was part of the wider 19th-century expansion of illuminating oils, and later it became standard terminology for lamp fuel and other petroleum products.
How kerosene is actually used
The term is formal and neutral, though it is more common in everyday speech than in highly technical writing. In British English, paraffin is more usual for the fuel used in traditional lamps and stoves; in American English, kerosene is the standard term.
Easily confused with kerosene
In American English, paraffin can be another name for kerosene, but in British English it usually refers to a solid waxy substance or to a different type of fuel oil.
Kerosene is a lighter petroleum fuel, while diesel is a heavier fuel used mainly in compression-ignition engines.