biodiesel

American

[bahy-oh-dee-zuhl, ‐suhl] / ˌbaɪ oʊˈdi zəl, ‐səl /

noun

a biofuel that, alone or blended with diesel fuel, can be substituted for standard diesel fuel in an unmodified diesel engine: blended forms of biodiesel are also used as heating oils.

biodiesel British

/ ˈbaɪəʊˌdiːzəl /

noun

a biofuel intended for use in diesel engines

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

biodiesel Scientific

/ bī′ō-dē′zəl,-səl /

See under biofuel

Etymology

Origin of biodiesel

First recorded in 1980–85; bio- ( def. ) + diesel ( def. ); cf. petrodiesel ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

biodiesel

Soybean oil becomes biodiesel and aviation fuel, powering school buses and commercial airplanes.

From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026

“Demand for biodiesel has driven up the cost of most edible oils,” finance chief James D. Gray told investors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026

Combining this fuel approach with biodiesel and advanced emission control systems could help support broader climate and air quality goals.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 13, 2026

About 70% of biodiesel produced in the UK is made from used cooking oil, according to UK government statistics.

From BBC ● Feb. 12, 2026

The high whine of biodiesel engines firing live carried over the storm’s rush.

From "Ship Breaker" by Paolo Bacigalupi

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023