LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · neutersecond declension

petroleum

petroleum n (genitive petroleī)
Classical[pɛˈtrɔ.ɫe.ũː]Ecclesiastical[peˈtrɔː.le.um]

Meaning

  1. Medieval LatinNew Latinneuterpetroleum
    […]quia olei ſimilis maxime propter pinguitudinem eſt, & à quibuſdam ſcriptoribus quõdam oleum eſt nominatus, & nunc uocatur petroleum, quod effluat ex faxis.1546, Georgius Agricola, “Book IV”, in De Natura Fossilium, Basel: Officina Frobeniana & N. Bischoff, published 1558, page 222:

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativepetroleumpetrolea
genitivepetroleīpetroleōrum
dativepetroleōpetroleīs
accusativepetroleumpetrolea
ablativepetroleōpetroleīs
vocativepetroleumpetrolea

Origins

Ancient Greek πέτρᾱ (pétrā)bor. Latin petra Proto-Hellenic *élaiwon Ancient Greek ἔλαιον (élaion)der. Latin oleum blend Latin petroleum Blend of petra (“stone”) + oleum (“oil”).

Descendants
  • Englishpetroleum
  • Portuguesepetróleo

Quick answers

What does petroleum mean in Latin?
petroleum, a noun, means “petroleum”.
What is the genitive of petroleum?
The genitive singular is petroleī. petroleum is neuter, second declension.
How do you pronounce petroleum?
In classical Latin, [pɛˈtrɔ.ɫe.ũː]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [peˈtrɔː.le.um].