Organic Chemical
hydrocarbon Audio
hy·dro·car·bon [ hahy-druh-kahr-buhn, hahy-druh-kahr- ]
Subclass of:
Organic Chemicals
Definitions related to hydrocarbons:
  • A group of organic compounds that consist of only hydrogen (H) and carbon (C) atoms and are involved in energy production. They may be cyclic or non-cyclic compounds. They may have double bonds, single bonds or both with carbon forming the backbone.
    NCI
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • A substance made of only hydrogen and carbon. Examples of hydrocarbons are coal, petroleum, natural gas and tar. They are used as energy sources. Being exposed to hydrocarbons may increase the risk of certain types of cancer.
    NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • Organic compound that contains carbon and hydrogen only.
    CRISP Thesaurus
    National Institutes of Health, 2006
  • Organic compounds that primarily contain carbon and hydrogen atoms with the carbon atoms forming a linear or circular structure.
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025
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This content should not be used in place of medically-reviewed decision support reference material or professional medical advice. Some terms may have alternate or updated definitions not reflected in this set. The definitions on this page should not be considered complete or up to date.