Crude

Crude is an adjective and noun used to describe substances or processes that are raw, unrefined, or in an early, primitive form. The term spans various fields, indicating a lack of refinement, processing, or finishing, and it can apply to materials, language, or behavior as well as to natural resources.

Crude oil refers to unrefined petroleum extracted from underground reservoirs. It is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons and other organic compounds that must be refined to produce fuels such as gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, along with feedstocks for chemicals and plastics. Refining often differentiates crudes by characteristics such as API gravity and sulfur content; lighter, less sulfurous crudes are typically easier to process.

Crude materials or raw materials denote inputs used to manufacture finished goods. These materials have not yet undergone processing and can include natural resources like ore, timber, agricultural products, or petrochemical feedstocks. The concept emphasizes the stage before refinement or fabrication.

Crude can also describe language, humor, or behavior that is unpolished or lacking refinement. Crude jokes, expressions, or manners may be considered blunt or offensive, depending on context and norms.

In culture, “Crude” is the title of a 2009 documentary by Joe Berlinger about the Chevron-Texaco lawsuit over oil contamination in the Ecuadorian Amazon, examining environmental impact and corporate accountability.

Etymology traces crude to Latin crudus, meaning raw or uncooked. The word is widely used across science, industry, and everyday language to indicate initial, unprocessed form or quality.