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petroleum

Pronunciation: /pɪˈtrəʊlɪəm/
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Definition of petroleum

noun

[mass noun]
  • a liquid mixture of hydrocarbons which is present in suitable rock strata and can be extracted and refined to produce fuels including petrol, paraffin, and diesel oil; oil.

Origin:

late Middle English: from medieval Latin, from Latin petra 'rock' (from Greek) + Latin oleum 'oil'

petroleum in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of petroleum in the US English dictionary

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