gasoline

[ gas-uh-leen, gas-uh-leen ]

/ ˌgæs əˈlin, ˈgæs əˌlin /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR gasoline ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a volatile, flammable liquid mixture of hydrocarbons, obtained from petroleum, and used as fuel for internal-combustion engines, as a solvent, etc.

RELATED WORDS

juice, oil, petrol, gasohol, propellant

Nearby words

Origin of gasoline

An Americanism dating back to 1860–65; gas + -ol² + -ine²

Related formsgas·o·line·less, adjectivegas·o·lin·ic

[gas-uh-lee-nik, -lin-ik] /ˌgæs əˈli nɪk, -ˈlɪn ɪk/, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for gasoline

He is perfectly capable of introducing a bill requiring all cars to run on corn stalks instead of gasoline.
Up to a Point: In Defense of Lobbyists|P. J. O’Rourke|October 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The bodies had been piled onto dry branches and logs, doused in gasoline, and set afire.
Anatomy of a Mexican Student Massacre|Jason McGahan|October 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
All Americans really did sacrifice then, accepting strict food and gasoline quotas and doing without a lot of things.
Can America Still Win Wars?|Michael Tomasky|October 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
More road closures mean more detours and traffic jams, and more money on gasoline.
Hong Kong Between Calm and Chaos|Ben Leung|October 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST

This is a lot of biofuel, which is why somebody, in an effort to get rid of the stuff, has been watering our gasoline.
The Federal Government Has Violated My Right to Chainsaw|P. J. O’Rourke|April 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If the float is too high on its stem, the gasoline control valve may not be operated until the fuel overflows in its chamber.
The Gasoline Motor|Harold Whiting Slauson
Alcohol boils at a lower temperature than water; gasoline boils at a lower temperature than kerosene.
Common Science|Carleton W. Washburne
Betty, looking from her window, saw only flaring oil lamps and gasoline torches illuminating the street.
The Heart of Canyon Pass|Thomas K. Holmes
One may regulate the gasoline needle or adjust the auxiliary air valve.
Aviation Engines|Victor Wilfred Pag
The dynamite was needed to blow up dangerous obstructions, the gasoline to burn rubbish and the lime for disinfecting purposes.
The True Story of Our National Calamity of Flood, Fire and Tornado|Logan Marshall

British Dictionary definitions for gasoline

gasoline

gasolene

/ (ˈɡæsəˌliːn) /

noun

US and Canadian any one of various volatile flammable liquid mixtures of hydrocarbons, mainly hexane, heptane, and octane, obtained from petroleum and used as a solvent and a fuel for internal-combustion engines. Usually petrol also contains additives such as antiknock compounds and corrosion inhibitorsAlso called (esp in Britain): petrol

Derived Formsgasolinic (ˌɡæsəˈlɪnɪk), adjective

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

Word Origin and History for gasoline

gasoline

1864 (alternative spelling gasolene is from 1865), from gas + -ol (probably here representing Latin oleum "oil") + chemical suffix -ine (2). Shortened form gas was in common use in U.S. by 1897. Gas station as a fuel filling station for automobiles recorded by 1924.

Science definitions for gasoline

gasoline

[ găs′ə-lēn′ ]

A highly flammable mixture of liquid hydrocarbons that are derived from petroleum. The hydrocarbons in gasoline contain between five and eight carbon atoms. Gasoline is used as a fuel for internal-combustion engines in automobiles, motorcycles, and small trucks.