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noun Common

gasoline

GAS-uh-leen
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Gasoline (noun) means (US) A flammable liquid fuel refined from petroleum, used mainly to power car engines; petrol. Example: “He stopped at the service station to fill the truck with gasoline.”

noun
1
(US) A flammable liquid fuel refined from petroleum, used mainly to power car engines; petrol.
"Localities across New Jersey imposed curfews to prevent looting. In Monmouth, Ocean and other counties, people waited for hours for gasoline at the few stations that had electricity. Supermarket shelves were stripped bare." — David M. Halbfinger, New Jersey Continues to Cope with Hurricane Sandy (2012)
"He stopped at the service station to fill the truck with gasoline."
"So you punched out a window for ventilation. Was that before or after you noticed you were standing in a lake of gasoline?" — Backdraft, Robert DeNiro (actor) (1991)
"The tank holds about twelve gallons of gasoline."
"Gasoline prices rose sharply after the refinery closure."
"You can't put gasoline in this car. This car takes diesel fuel."

How to use gasoline

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe liquid fuel used in most car engines — called "petrol" in British English.

UK vs US

"Gasoline" (or "gas") is the standard American term; British English uses "petrol."

Easily confused with
petrol →
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Word forms

Plural
gasolines
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

He stopped at the service station to fill the truck with _____.

Etymology

Formed from "gas" plus two chemistry suffixes ("-ol" and "-ine"); some accounts trace the name partly to "Cazeline," an early brand of lighting oil named after its seller John Cassell.

Synonyms

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fuel gasolene gas petrol

Related words

air fire gas gun fuel blow liquid juice

Rhymes for gasoline

nine mine wine line sine dine fine thine shine Rhine Maine seine
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Frequently asked questions

What does “gasoline” mean?
The word “gasoline” means (US) A flammable liquid fuel refined from petroleum, used mainly to power car engines; petrol. In plain terms, the liquid fuel used in most car engines — called "petrol" in British English.
How do you pronounce “gasoline”?
“Gasoline” is pronounced GAS-uh-leen (/ˈɡæs.ə.liːn/ in IPA).
How do you use “gasoline” in a sentence?
Here is “gasoline” used in a sentence: “The tank holds about twelve gallons of gasoline.”
What is another word for “gasoline”?
Words with a similar meaning to “gasoline” include gas and petrol.
What part of speech is “gasoline”?
“Gasoline” is a noun.
Is “gasoline” a common word?
“Gasoline” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between gasoline and petrol?
Gasoline and petrol refer to the same flammable liquid fuel refined from petroleum and used mainly to power car engines. Gasoline is the standard American English term, while petrol is the standard British English term.
What is the difference between gasoline and diesel?
Gasoline and diesel are both fuels refined from petroleum, but they differ chemically and are used in different types of engines. Gasoline powers spark-ignition engines found in most cars, while diesel powers compression-ignition engines common in trucks and some cars.
Why is gasoline flammable and how should it be handled?
Gasoline is flammable because it is a volatile liquid fuel that readily produces vapors that can ignite. It should be stored in approved containers away from heat or open flame, and handled with care due to this fire risk.

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