Crude

Welcome to the Voice of America’s News Words, where we talk about words you hear in the news.

This word is about the oil industry.

Crude.

U.S. gasoline prices are at the lowest level in years, thanks to falling crude oil prices.

Crude prices plunged because slowing economies in Europe and Asia reduced demand for energy, just as surging crude production in the United States increased the oil supply.

Here, crude means oil that is unprocessed.

Oil is shipped in crude from and finished at refineries, or factories.

Crude can also describe people’s behavior.

It means they are rough, and have bad manners.

So the next time you hear the word crude, you will know what this News Word means.