petrochemical

American  

[pe-troh-kem-i-kuhl] / ˌpɛ troʊˈkɛm ɪ kəl /

noun

1. a chemical substance obtained from petroleum or natural gas, as gasoline, kerosene, or petrolatum.

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adjective

1. of or relating to petrochemistry or a petrochemical.

petrochemical British  

/ ˌpɛtrəʊˈkɛmɪkəl /

noun

1. any substance, such as acetone or ethanol, obtained from petroleum or natural gas

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adjective

1. of, concerned with, or obtained from petrochemicals or related to petrochemistry

petrochemical Scientific  

/ pĕt′rō-kĕm′ĭ-kəl /

1. Any of a large number of chemicals made from petroleum or natural gas. Important petrochemicals include benzene, ammonia, acetylene, and polystyrene. Petrochemicals are used to produce a wide variety of materials, such as plastics, explosives, fertilizers, and synthetic fibers.

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petrochemical Cultural  

1. Any material made from substances found in oil or natural gas. Most plastics are petrochemicals.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• petrochemically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of petrochemical

First recorded in 1910–15; petro- ² + chemical

Example Sentences

Many of those operations used petrochemical products and solvents such as resins, adhesives and acrylic compounds like methyl methacrylate, the chemical at the center of the Orange County crisis.

From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026

Rhodium reports that a 2025 directive promised to address petrochemical overcapacity, but only plants more than 20 years old were targeted, accounting for 5% to 6% of capacity.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

The new monochrome packages will go on sale in Japan May 25, Calbee said, blaming difficulties procuring raw materials such as naphtha, a petrochemical used in paints and inks.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026

The disruption has particularly affected petrochemical sectors in Asia and forced governments to take action, with South Korea imposing a ban this month on hoarding syringes and needles to guard against shortages.

From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026

In place of petrochemical fertilizers, Greenways’s organic acres are fed with compost from a nearby horse farm and by poultry manure.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan