activated carbon

noun

Chemistry.

1. a form of carbon having very fine pores: used chiefly for adsorbing gases or solutes, as in various filter systems for purification, deodorization, and decolorization.

activated carbon

noun

1. Also called: activated charcoal.  active carbon. a porous highly adsorptive form of carbon used to remove colour or impurities from liquids and gases, in the separation and extraction of chemical compounds, and in the recovery of solvents

Word History and Origins

Origin of activated carbon¹

First recorded in 1920–25