What does petroleum mean?
Petroleum is a naturally occurring fossil-fuel material, most commonly referring to crude oil found beneath the Earth's surface. It consists mainly of hydrocarbons and is separated into fuels such as gasoline, diesel, and kerosene, as well as chemicals and lubricants. The word can also be used more broadly for petroleum-based products. Its importance extends far beyond transportation: petroleum is a major input into plastics, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, synthetic materials, and countless manufactured goods. As a result, petroleum has become closely associated with energy security, industrial development, environmental impact, and global political relations. In everyday British English, “petrol” usually means gasoline, but “petroleum” remains the more comprehensive term for crude oil and its derivatives. The word is normally treated as an uncountable mass noun when discussing the material or industry.
nounPetroleum is a naturally occurring mixture of hydrocarbons, especially crude oil, obtained from geological formations beneath the Earth's surface. The term may also refer broadly to petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel fuel, and lubricating oils.
- Petroleum as a naturally occurring mixture of hydrocarbons, especially crude oil, extracted from underground geological formations.
- Petroleum as the collective term for fossil-fuel products derived from crude oil, including gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and lubricating oils.
"The refinery processes crude petroleum into fuels and other products used around the world."
"The company invested heavily in new technology for extracting petroleum from difficult reserves."
"Many plastics are made from petroleum-based chemicals rather than directly from crude oil."
Rare; petroleum is normally used as an uncountable mass noun.
"The museum displays samples of petroleums collected from different regions."
Petroleum is often called the world's most important energy source, powering transport and industry while also shaping economies and geopolitics.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does petroleum come from?
Petroleum entered English in the 16th century from Medieval Latin petroleum, meaning “rock oil.” The Latin word combined petra, “rock,” with oleum, “oil,” and was ultimately influenced by Greek petra, meaning “rock.” Its relatives include petrol, which developed as a shortened and altered form, and petrochemical, which refers to chemicals derived from petroleum. The same roots also connect the word to petrology, the study of rocks.
Related word forms
How petroleum is actually used
Petroleum is usually an uncountable noun when referring to crude oil or the general class of fossil-fuel products. In British English, “petrol” specifically means gasoline, while American English uses “gas” or “gasoline.” The broader technical meaning of petroleum can include products made from crude oil.
Easily confused with petroleum
Petrol is specifically gasoline in British usage, whereas petroleum refers more broadly to crude oil and the range of substances derived from it.