3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Petroleum  \Pe*tro"le*um\,  n.  [NL.,  fr  L.  petra  a  rock  +  oleum 
  oil:  cf  F.  p['e]trole.  Cf  {Petrify},  and  {Oil}.] 
  Rock  oil,  mineral  oil,  or  natural  oil,  a  dark  brown  or 
  greenish  inflammable  liquid,  which  at  certain  points,  exists 
  in  the  upper  strata  of  the  earth,  from  whence  it  is  pumped, 
  or  forced  by  pressure  of  the  gas  attending  it  It  consists  of 
  a  complex  mixture  of  various  hydrocarbons,  largely  of  the 
  methane  series,  but  may  vary  much  in  appearance,  composition, 
  and  properties.  It  is  refined  by  distillation,  and  the 
  products  include  kerosene,  benzine,  gasoline,  paraffin,  etc 
 
  {Petroleum  spirit},  a  volatile  liquid  obtained  in  the 
  distillation  of  crude  petroleum  at  a  temperature  of 
  170[deg]  Fahr.,  or  below.  The  term  is  rather  loosely 
  applied  to  a  considerable  range  of  products,  including 
  benzine  and  ligroin.  The  terms  petroleum  ether,  and 
  naphtha,  are  sometimes  applied  to  the  still  more  volatile 
  products,  including  rhigolene,  gasoline,  cymogene,  etc 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  petroleum 
  n  :  a  dark  oil  consisting  mainly  of  hydrocarbons  [syn:  {crude 
  oil},  {crude},  {coal  oil},  {rock  oil},  {fossil  oil}] 
 
  From  U.S.  Gazetteer  (1990)  [gazetteer]: 
 
  Petroleum,  WV 
  Zip  code(s):  26161 

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