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petrochemistry

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

noun

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

  2. the chemistry of rocks.


petrochemistry British  
/ ˌpɛtrəʊˈkɛmɪstrɪ /

noun

  1. the chemistry of petroleum and its derivatives

  2. 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

“They seem to seek out our sore spots. They hit primarily the export sectors of the Belarusian economy: petrochemistry, mechanical engineering, potash, and so on. But the main goal is to leave the people without pensions, salaries, benefits, education, medical care and cause discontent among Belarusians,” Lukashenko said.

From Seattle Times

With more than 20 years of specialized experience in petrochemistry, microbiology, chemistry and toxicology, Dr. Noreen, also the Chief Toxicologist for NKM Environmental Health Sciences, made history as the world’s first female NASA* space toxicologist, where she works to prevent chemical contaminants from affecting the health of astronauts during spaceflight operations.

From US News