petrochemistry

American

[pe-troh-kem-uh-stree] / ˌpɛ troʊˈkɛm ə stri /

noun

the branch of chemistry dealing with petroleum or its products.
the chemistry of rocks.

petrochemistry British

/ ˌpɛtrəʊˈkɛmɪstrɪ /

noun

the chemistry of petroleum and its derivatives
the branch of chemistry concerned with the chemical composition of rocks

"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

Etymology

Origin of petrochemistry

1935–40; petro- ² or petro- ¹ + chemistry

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.

South Korea’s auto, steel, petrochemistry, cement and other sectors have been hit hard by the strike.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 13, 2022

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023