petrochemical

noun

pet·​ro·​chem·​i·​cal ˌpe-trō-ˈke-mi-kəl How to pronounce petrochemical (audio)
: a chemical isolated or derived from petroleum or natural gas
petrochemistry noun

Examples of petrochemical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Wagner is used to abiding strict ethical guidelines while covering professional cycling; the petrochemical company funding the junket sent her first class to Austin. Longreads, 8 Mar. 2024 Oil rigs and petrochemical processing locations, for instance, may have requirements to check water quality daily. John Koetsier, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Dow Chemical recently invested nearly 9 billion Canadian dollars to construct the world’s first net-zero petrochemical complex in the province in an effort to become carbon neutral by 2050. Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2024 The nation is the largest oil producer in the Caribbean; according to the World Bank, its petroleum and petrochemicals industry generates more than a third of its gross domestic product. Laris Karklis, Washington Post, 14 Feb. 2024 And on the rails, some cargo — coal, grain, cement, fertilizer, petrochemicals, lumber — is just too cumbersome to appeal to thieves. Malia Wollan, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2024 Ratcliffe, the owner of petrochemicals giant INEOS, agreed last month to buy a minority stake in United and will take charge of United’s soccer operations. Steve Douglas, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2024 Born in New York City, Pick’s father’s work in petrochemicals saw the family uproot to Venezuela for a few years before returning to the States. Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2023 Reliance Industries, a company that has interests in petrochemicals, retail and telecommunications, was founded by Ambani’s father in 1996. Cailey Gleeson, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'petrochemical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

petro- + chemical entry 2

First Known Use

1942, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of petrochemical was in 1942

Dictionary Entries Near petrochemical

Cite this Entry

“Petrochemical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/petrochemical. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

petrochemical

noun
pet·​ro·​chem·​i·​cal ˌpe-trō-ˈkem-i-kəl How to pronounce petrochemical (audio)
: a chemical obtained from petroleum or natural gas

More from Merriam-Webster on petrochemical

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!