petrodiesel

[pe-troh-dee-zuhl, ‐suhl]

noun

1. diesel fuel.

Word History and Origins

Origin of petrodiesel¹

First recorded in 1995–2000; petro ( def. ) + diesel ( def. ); so called to distinguish it from biodiesel ( def. )

Example Sentences

Biodiesel made from plant material could present a more eco-friendly alternative to the fossil-fuel-derived diesel, or petrodiesel, that is currently used.

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But the molecular makeup of these fuels means they boil at different temperatures from petrodiesel, which means only specially designed engines can run on pure biodiesel or blends that contain considerable amounts of the fuel.

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In contrast, petrodiesel is made up of a mixture of hydrocarbons of different lengths and structures that boil at different temperatures, giving petrodiesel a much broader boiling range.

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