fossil fuel

American  

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

noun

Energy.

fossil fuels plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• fossil fuels
  plural

Example Sentences

Socolow acknowledged, in another subsequent email, that the figure would keep the fossil fuel industry a “part of things for at least another 50 years.”

From Salon • Jun. 26, 2026

So little has been done to avert fossil fuel emissions for so long, said Zeke Hausfather, a climate scientist with the research nonprofit Berkeley Earth, that there is little remaining choice.

From Salon • Jun. 26, 2026

"Geothermal today is still more expensive because you are not getting as much power out of the well as you would if you were using that well for fossil fuel."

From BBC • Jun. 25, 2026

The facilities also contribute to fossil fuel emissions, with Cornell University researchers estimating last year that AI growth could add 24 to 44 million metric tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere annually by 2030.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 21, 2026

On the industrial farm, it takes about ten calories of fossil fuel energy to produce one calorie of food energy.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan