What does petrochemically mean?
Petrochemically is an adverb describing an action or process conducted through petrochemical methods. In this context, petrochemicals are chemical substances produced from petroleum or natural gas, as well as from some related industrial feedstocks. They include the basic organic compounds used to make plastics, synthetic fibres, medicines, detergents, solvents, fertilizers, and numerous other products. The adverb is especially common in scientific, industrial, and environmental discussions, where a process may be contrasted with a biological, physical, or purely chemical alternative. It can qualify verbs such as produced, synthesized, manufactured, derived, and converted. Although its spelling resembles the adjective petrochemical, the ending -ally clearly marks it as an adverb. The term is technical and generally unsuitable for casual conversation unless the subject is itself the chemical industry or the manufacture of synthetic materials.
adverbIn a manner involving petrochemicals or the chemical processing of petroleum or natural gas. It may also indicate the use of substances derived from petrochemical feedstocks.
- In or according to a manner involving petrochemicals, petroleum feedstocks, or petrochemical processing.
"The new process converts industrial waste into valuable chemicals petrochemically."
"Some specialty polymers are now produced petrochemically from renewable feedstocks."
"The laboratory is studying how the compound can be synthesized petrochemically at a lower temperature."
Petrochemically speaks the language of turning oil and natural gas into the materials that underpin plastics, medicines, solvents, and countless modern products.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does petrochemically come from?
The word was formed from petrochemical, which combines the element petrol- with chemical. The combining form petro- is associated with petroleum, a term borrowed through French from Latin petroleum, from the Greek petron meaning rock and elaion meaning oil. The adjective petrochemical developed as these industrial chemicals became increasingly important during the twentieth century, and petrochemically was subsequently formed as its corresponding adverb.
Related word forms
How petrochemically is actually used
This is a formal or technical adverb and is less common in everyday speech. Its use often implies industrial chemistry, manufacturing, or the study of chemical production from petroleum-derived feedstocks.
Easily confused with petrochemically
Petroleum is the naturally occurring mixture of hydrocarbons from which many petrochemicals are derived, whereas petrochemically describes a method or manner of chemical processing.