noun
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a distillation product from coal tar boiling in the approximate range 80–170°C and containing aromatic hydrocarbons
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a distillation product from petroleum boiling in the approximate range 100–200°C and containing aliphatic hydrocarbons: used as a solvent and in petrol
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an obsolete name for petroleum
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of naphtha
1565–75; < Latin < Greek náphthas, perhaps < Iranian *nafta, derivative of *nab- to be damp; compare Avestan napta- damp, Persian naft naphtha
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Explanation
Naphtha is a flammable liquid made from distilling petroleum. It looks like gasoline. Naphtha is used to dilute heavy oil to help move it through pipelines, to make high-octane gas, to make lighter fluid, and even to clean metal. This unusual-looking word refers to a dangerous substance: naphtha is a liquid hydrocarbon mixture that is extremely flammable and volatile. If you're around naphtha and you light a match, Kaboom! Naphtha is created by distilling petroleum, and it's a component of gasoline and kerosene. The main purpose of naphtha is as a solvent, which means it's used to dissolve other substances, which is why it can be used to clean metal. Without fossil fuels, we would have no naphtha.
Vocabulary lists containing naphtha
The House on Mango Street
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The Subtle Knife
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The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage
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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.
These naturally formed channels allowed lighter oil fractions, including naphtha, gasoline, and kerosene, to pass through quickly while preventing heavier substances from traveling through the membrane as easily.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026
"The system, investment and infrastructure are not yet ready to completely replace coal and naphtha," he warned.
From Barron's ● Oct. 25, 2026
Middle Eastern naphtha shipments fell to 692,000 metric tons in March, less than one-fifth of February’s 4.06 million tons, according to S&P Global.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
A key raw material for many of these plastic goods is ethylene, which is derived from naphtha, an oil by-product.
From Barron's ● Jun. 28, 2026
The gentlemen didn’t ask any questions this time, just ordering coffee, and Malcolm brought them a naphtha lamp before going through to the kitchen to set the cups up.
From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
