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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Ten Words from New York Times History - Japan Surrenders - August 14, 1945
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Grand Escape
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Petrol is now selling for just over 158p a litre on average, up from 133p in late February, while diesel has risen from 142p a litre to 192p, the RAC said.
From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026
Petrol will see a 42.7 percent increase effective on Friday while diesel will be hiked 54.9 percent.
From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026
Petrol retailers have strongly denied price-gouging, and earlier this month criticised the government for using "inflammatory language".
From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026
But the celebrity chef put the 'beef' back in the fridge and was apparently "up for anything" when filming the video for the track The Jamie Oliver Petrol Station.
From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026
Petrol, raw fish, and stale sweat dominated a battle of odors for the stuffy space.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
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.
