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petroleum

pe·tro·le·um [ pə trṓlee əm ]


noun 
Definition:
 
crude oil found in rock: crude oil that occurs naturally in sedimentary rocks and consists mainly of hydrocarbons. A wide variety of commercially important petrochemicals, including gasoline and kerosene, are derived from it.

[Early 16th century. < medieval Latin< Latin petra "stone, rock" + oleum "oil"]
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