hydrocarbon

American  

[hahy-druh-kahr-buhn, hahy-druh-kahr-] / ˌhaɪ drəˈkɑr bən, ˈhaɪ drəˌkɑr- /

noun

1. any of a class of compounds containing only hydrogen and carbon, as an alkane, methane, CH 4 , an alkene, ethylene, C 2 H 4 , an alkyne, acetylene, C 2 H 2 , or an aromatic compound, benzene, C 6 H 6 .

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hydrocarbon British  

/ ˌhaɪdrəʊˈkɑːbən /

noun

1. any organic compound containing only carbon and hydrogen, such as the alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, terpenes, and arenes

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hydrocarbon Scientific  

/ hī′drə-kär′bən /

1. Any of numerous organic compounds, such as benzene, that contain only carbon and hydrogen.

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Other Word Forms

• hydrocarbonaceous
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of hydrocarbon

First recorded in 1820–30; hydro- ² + carbon

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hydrocarbon

Instead, hydrogen is usually found bonded to other elements, most often in water and hydrocarbon fuels such as natural gas, coal, and oil.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 2, 2026

Tierra del Fuego is Argentina's youngest and least populated province, with industries like hydrocarbon exploration and fishing closely followed by tourism as local sources of income.

From BBC ● May 10, 2026

The result is a global landscape in which hydrocarbon markets are both under pressure and generating windfall profits, even among Santa Marta participants.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 26, 2026

The Norwegian Offshore Directorate figures show total hydrocarbon production averaged 4.41 million barrels of oil equivalent a day, up 5.7% on year and 0.7% above the NOD’s forecast.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 24, 2026

This quality is possessed by some chemicals of the chlorinated hydrocarbon group and by others of the organophosphorus group, all synthetically produced, as well as by certain naturally occurring substances.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson