fossil fuel

American  

[fos-uhl fyoo-uhl] / ˈfɒs əl ˈfyu əl /

noun

Energy.

1. any combustible organic material, as oil, coal, or natural gas, derived from the remains of former life.

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fossil fuel British  

noun

1. any naturally occurring carbon or hydrocarbon fuel, such as coal, petroleum, peat, and natural gas, formed by the decomposition of prehistoric organisms

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fossil fuel Scientific  

1. A hydrocarbon fuel, such as petroleum, coal, or natural gas, derived from the accumulated remains of ancient plants and animals and used as fuel. Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases generated by burning fossil fuels are considered to be one of the principal causes of global warming.

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Example Sentences

A 2,000-year-old cement battery could reduce our reliance on fossil fuel.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

By 1952, Haagy had figured out the smog recipe: Start with the dirty leftovers of burning fossil fuel from factories, oil refineries, and the unburned gas exhaust from cars and trucks.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

Last year, a separate Nature study found extreme heat linked to emissions from 111 fossil fuel companies caused $28 trillion in global economic losses between 1991 and 2020.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

It follows the government's Warm Homes Plan, which promised £15bn to help UK households pay for green technologies as part of efforts to cut fossil fuel use and drive down energy bills.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

There’s the natural gas in the fertilizer and the fossil fuel energy it takes to make the pesticides, the diesel used by the tractors, and the fuel needed to harvest, dry, and transport the corn.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan