Oil is a generic term for organic liquids that are not miscible with water. The name comes from Latin oleum (olive oil).
Oil is frequently used to refer to petroleum, the type of oil that is pumped up from the ground and currently serves as a major energy source and important part of the world economy. The term Foreign oil is used in the United States to refer to imported petroleum, a major point of concern since the 1973 energy crisis.
Types of oil