"an incendiary," especially one of the adherents of the Commune who used petroleum to set fire to the public buildings of Paris upon the entry of the national troops, 1871, from French pétroleur, from petrole (see petrol). The fem. form is pétroleuse.
petrochemical
petrodollar
petroglyph
petrol
petroleum
petroleur
petrology
Petronilla
petrous
petticoat
pettifogger