Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

fuel

[ˈfjuwəɫ]

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.72 in modern English

Syllables: fu-el
IPA: [ˈfjuwəɫ]

7

Scrabble Score

4

Letters

2

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Substance consumed to provide energy through combustion, or through chemical or nuclear reaction.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Substance that provides nourishment for a living organism; food.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Something that stimulates, encourages or maintains an action.

Countable; Uncountable

verb

To provide with fuel.

Transitive verb

verb

To exacerbate, to cause to grow or become greater.

Transitive verb

Example Sentences

"More than a mere source of Promethean sustenance to thwart the cold and cook one's meat, wood was quite simply mankind's first industrial and manufacturing fuel."
"In a press release, CARB expanded on their decision. "The LCFS reduces air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions by setting a declining carbon intensity target for transportation fuels used in California; producers that don't meet established benchmarks buy credits from those that do. This system has generated $4 billion in annual private sector investment toward a cleaner transportation sector.""
"A little fuel to get down the mountain."
"His books were fuel for the revolution."
"Money is the fuel for economy."
"That film was nightmare fuel!"

Etymology

From Middle English fuayle, from Old French fouaille, feuaille (“firewood, kindling”), from feu (“fire”), from Late Latin focus (“fire”), from Latin focus (“hearth”), whence English focus. Cognate with Spanish fuego (“fire”), and Portuguese fogo (“fire”).

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: fuayle, fouaille, focus

Regional Pronunciation

American English: [ˈfjuwəɫ]

Usage

Inflected Forms

fuels (plural) fuels (present, singular) fueling (US, participle) fuelling (UK, participle) fueled (US, participle) fueled (US, past) fuelled (UK, participle) fuelled (UK, past)

Derived Forms

agrofuel biofuel defuel electrofuel fueldraulic fueler fuelie fuelish fuelless fuelwood geofuel interfuel

Phrases

add fuel to fire add fuel to the fire add fuel to the flame alternative fuel aviation fuel biological fuel cell bunker fuel caramel fuel

Synonyms

fire

Rhymes With

dual cruel renewal jewel duel newell sewell refuel buell accrual ewell juul

Questions

How do you pronounce fuel?: The recorded pronunciation is [ˈfjuwəɫ].
What does fuel mean?: Substance consumed to provide energy through combustion, or through chemical or nuclear reaction.
Where does fuel come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce fuel

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “fuel”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling ([ˈfjuwəɫ]) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “fuel”.
Repeat and practice — Say “fuel” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.