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.

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

Corn and soybeans both move in relation to oil, due to their use as the main feedstocks to produce renewable fuels like ethanol and biodiesel.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 4, 2026

Canada is among the world's top producers of canola, an oilseed crop that is used to make cooking oil, animal meal and biodiesel fuel.

From Barron's • Oct. 31, 2025

One third-party Tesla modification company, aimed at civilian and government clients, sells Cybertruck upgrades so it can run on jet fuel, diesel, biodiesel, and electricity.

From Slate • Mar. 15, 2025

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