idrocarburo

hydrocarbon

noun ee-droh-kar-BOO-roh Rare

Origin: From Greek hydro- (water/hydrogen) + Latin carbo (coal/carbon).

Usage Note

Idrocarburo is a masculine noun used mainly in technical and scientific contexts. It covers compounds like methane and benzene; in everyday speech Italians more often say petrolio or gas for specific fuels. The plural is gli idrocarburi.

Examples

"Il petrolio è un idrocarburo naturale."

Natural Translation

Oil is a natural hydrocarbon.

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