petroleum

4 definitions found

petroleum - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Petroleum \Pe*tro"le*um\ (p[-e]*tr[=o]"l[-e]*[u^]m), n. [NL.,
     fr. L. petra a rock + oleum oil: cf. F. p['e]trole. Cf.
     Petrify, and Oil.]
     Rock oil, mineral oil, or natural oil, a dark brown or
     greenish inflammable liquid, which, at certain points, exists
     in the upper strata of the earth, from whence it is pumped,
     or forced by pressure of the gas attending it. It consists of
     a complex mixture of various hydrocarbons, largely of the
     methane series, but may vary much in appearance, composition,
     and properties. It is refined by distillation, and the
     products include kerosene, benzine, gasoline, paraffin, etc.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Petroleum spirit, a volatile liquid obtained in the
        distillation of crude petroleum at a temperature of
        170[deg] Fahr., or below. The term is rather loosely
        applied to a considerable range of products, including
        benzine and ligroin. The terms petroleum ether, and
        naphtha, are sometimes applied to the still more volatile
        products, including rhigolene, gasoline, cymogene, etc.
        [1913 Webster] Petroleur

petroleum - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  petroleum
      n 1: a dark oil consisting mainly of hydrocarbons [syn:
           petroleum, crude oil, crude, rock oil, fossil oil
           , oil]

petroleum - U.S. Gazetteer (1990) :

  Petroleum, WV
    Zip code(s): 26161

petroleum - Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 :

  27 Moby Thesaurus words for "petroleum":
     avgas, benzine, coal oil, crude, crude oil, electricity, ethyl,
     ethyl gas, fossil oil, gas, gasoline, high-octane gas, high-test,
     illuminant, illuminating gas, kerosene, lead-free gas,
     light source, low-lead gas, luminant, motor oil, oil, paraffin,
     petrol, premium gas, regular, rock oil