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Definition of kerosene

kerosene

/ˈkɛr.əˌsiːn/
ker · o · sene
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kerosene Lexical Profile

kerosene Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A light, combustible hydrocarbon liquid distilled from petroleum, widely used as a fuel in aviation, as well as in household heaters and lamps.

Example

"During the winter power outage, the family relied on an old-fashioned kerosene heater to keep the cabin warm."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for kerosene

Word Nuance & Usage

In British and South African English, kerosene is commonly referred to as 'paraffin' or 'paraffin oil' in domestic contexts, though 'kerosene' remains standard globally for aviation fuel.

• Rhymes for kerosene

• Nearby Words

kern river
kernel
kerning
kerosene
kerry
kerrybush
kestrel

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in 1854 by Canadian geologist Abraham Gesner as a trademark, derived from Greek 'kēros' (wax) combined with the chemical suffix '-ene'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Kerosene. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 2, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/kerosene
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