petrodollar

noun

pet·​ro·​dol·​lar ˈpe-trō-ˌdä-lər How to pronounce petrodollar (audio)
: a dollar's worth of foreign exchange obtained by a petroleum-exporting country through sales abroad
usually used in plural

Examples of petrodollar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But the dollar market has surged even as the petrodollar took a step back. Paul Blustein, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026 For leaders of global businesses, the question is not whether the petrodollar is dying. Clay Chandler, semafor.com, 27 Mar. 2026 Machado’s strategy could appear to have been a devil’s bargain—tempting Trump with the prospect of petrodollars in exchange for ousting Maduro, her nemesis. The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2026 In the early years of his tenure, a massive windfall in petrodollars thanks to record-high global oil prices turned PDVSA into the main source of government revenue and the backbone of Venezuela’s economy. Regina Garcia Cano, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for petrodollar

Word History

Etymology

petro- + dollar

First Known Use

1973, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of petrodollar was in 1973

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Cite this Entry

“Petrodollar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/petrodollar. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

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