# petroleum

/pəˈtɹoʊɫiəm/ (US) · /pətɹˈəʊliːəm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/petroleum
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. crude oil

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

a thick, dark oil found under the ground that is used to make petrol and other fuels.

For teachers: a naturally occurring liquid mixture of hydrocarbons that is refined into various fuels and chemical products. Uncountable in its general sense, though countable when referring to specific types or grades.

- Many countries depend on petroleum to power their cars and factories.
- The extraction of petroleum from deep-sea reserves requires sophisticated engineering and carries significant environmental risks.

Teaching tip: In everyday conversation, people usually just say 'oil' or 'crude oil'. 'Petroleum' is more common in scientific, industrial, or formal contexts.

## Examples

- The price of petroleum affects the cost of many goods.
- Engineers used advanced drilling techniques to extract petroleum from the seabed.
- The global economy remains heavily dependent on petroleum, despite the increasing pressure to transition toward renewable energy sources to mitigate climate change.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.