petrol
noun
petrol
1 American
[pe-truhl]
/ ˈpɛ trəl /
petrol.
2
American
abbreviation
petrol.
1
British
abbreviation
petrol
2
British
/ ˈpɛtrəl /
noun
Etymology
Origin of petrol
1590–1600; < Middle French petrole < Medieval Latin petroleum petroleum
Explanation
Petrol is a fuel derived from petroleum. If you are American, you probably call petrol "gas." When the price of petrol goes up, lots of people complain, because petrol is gasoline. Petrol is the fuel used in many types of vehicles, including cars, motorcycles, motorboats, and airplanes. Petrol is derived from petroleum, and besides smelling bad, it's very flammable. If you light a match near petrol, there will be an explosion. Since petrol comes from petroleum, petrol is a fossil fuel.
Vocabulary lists containing petrol
Boy: Tales of Childhood
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Ten Words from New York Times History - Japan Surrenders - August 14, 1945
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The Grand Escape
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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.
He said countries big and small remained in some way dependent on fossil fuels -- including Australia, a major coal and gas exporter, yet highly reliant on imports for petrol, diesel and other fuels.
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
"My takings are down about £200 over the last two days, the local petrol station's takings are down 30% - so not good at all."
From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026
The vehicle was found at a petrol station near a village in a vast farming area in the southern Calabria region.
From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026
Rival supercar maker Lamborghini has scrapped its EV programme due to weak demand and customers' preference for petrol engines.
From BBC • May 30, 2026
Around the abandoned lorries they passed, supplies had been scattered by troops looking for food or drink or petrol.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
