French word

pétrole

Pronunciation

IPA/petʁɔl/

Meaning

  • masculine nounoil

Example

Il y a beaucoup de pétrole dans cette région.

There is a lot of oil in this region.

Illustration for pétrole (oil)

More examples

Les prix du pétrole fluctuent selon la demande.

Oil prices fluctuate according to demand.

Core concept

A dark natural liquid brought up from underground, supplying energy and raw material for chemical products.

Common phrases

  • prix du pétrole

    price of oil

  • cours du pétrole

    oil price

Similar words

essence: A liquid engine fuel commonly known as gasoline.
carburant: Any fuel burned to operate vehicles or machinery.
gazole: An oily fuel for diesel engines.
huile: A general term for oils from plants, animals, or minerals, including cooking and lubricating oils.

Definition in French

Liquide pétrolier naturel composé principalement d'hydrocarbures, extrait du sous-sol et utilisé comme source d'énergie et comme matière première chimique.

Word origin

French pétrole comes from Medieval Latin petroleum, formed from Greek petra, 'rock', and Latin oleum, 'oil', meaning oil from rock.

Usage tips

  • English petrol means gasoline in British usage, whereas French pétrole generally means petroleum or crude oil, so the words are not equivalent.

Related words

Word lists with this word