Jump To:

• char
  char

  verb (used with object)

  to burn or reduce to charcoal.
• Char
  Char

  noun

  René 1907–1988, French poet.
• char.
  char.

  abbreviation

  character.

char

¹ American  

[chahr] / tʃɑr /

verb (used with object)

charred, charring

1. to burn or reduce to charcoal.

   The fire charred the paper.

2. to burn slightly; scorch.

   The flame charred the steak.

   Synonyms:

   sear, singe

---

verb (used without object)

charred, charring

1. to become charred.

noun

1. a charred material or surface.

2. charcoal.

3. a superior carbon-rich fuel, a by-product of the conversion of coal into gaseous or liquid fuel.

char ² American  

[chahr] / tʃɑr /

Or charr

noun

char, plural chars plural

1. any trout of the genus Salvelinus (orCristovomer ), especially the Arctic char.

---

char ³ American  

[chahr] / tʃɑr /

noun

1. a charwoman.

2. a task, especially a household chore.

3. chars, odd jobs, especially of housework, for which one is paid by the hour or day.

---

verb (used without object)

charred, charring

1. to work at housecleaning by the day or hour; hire oneself out to do odd jobs.

verb (used with object)

charred, charring

1. to do (housework, odd jobs, or chores); clean or repair.

char ⁴ American  

[chahr] / tʃɑr /

noun

British Informal.

1. tea.

---

Char ⁵ American  

[shar] / ʃar /

noun

1. René 1907–1988, French poet.

---

char. ⁶ American  

abbreviation

1. character.

2. charter.

---

char ¹ British  

/ tʃɑː /

verb

1. to burn or be burned partially, esp so as to blacken the surface; scorch

2. (tr) to reduce (wood) to charcoal by partial combustion

---

char ² British  

/ tʃɑː /

noun

1. informal short for charwoman

---

verb

1. informal to do housework, cleaning, etc, as a job

char ³ British  

/ tʃɑː /

noun

1. any of various troutlike fishes of the genus Salvelinus, esp S. alpinus, occurring in cold lakes and northern seas: family Salmonidae (salmon)

---

char ⁴ British  

/ tʃɑː /

noun

1. a slang word for tea

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• char
  plural
• chars
  plural

Etymology

Origin of char¹

First recorded in 1670–80; apparently extracted from charcoal; see chark

Origin of char²

First recorded in 1655–65; perhaps unattested Old English ceorra literally, “turner,” derivative of ceorran “to turn,” it being thought of as swimming to and fro time and again; see char ³

Origin of char³

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, Old English cerr, cierr “turn, time, occasion, affair,” derivative of cierran “to turn”

Origin of char⁴

First recorded in 1915–20; from Hindi cā “tea” ( see tea); for spelling with r cf. arvo, Parcheesi ( def. )

Explanation

To char is to burn or blacken something so that it’s like charcoal but still tasty. A char is something that has been burned in this way. To char is to burn something on the outside. If you've ever eaten a hot dog or hamburger cooked over an open flame, it was charred. Many people like the taste of char-grilled meat. To char doesn’t usually mean to burn all the way, just enough to blacken. Unfortunately, char can also mean to reduce to charcoal — if there's a house fire, couches and chairs could be charred. Not so delicious.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

char Char chars charred charring

When you try to set fire to wood treated with Burnblock, the material forms a protective layer of char, explains Mr Bay-Smidt.

From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2025

You burn it and char it, and you use it to build fences or whatever it is you’re trying to build.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2025

Because jacarandas across the county sustained significant bark char and crown damage, L.A.’s purple bloom was down some patches this year.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2025

The smokiness, the char... it just makes everything taste better.

From Salon ● Apr. 29, 2025

When she had her handmaids char the horsemeat black, the dragons ripped at it eagerly, their heads striking like snakes.

From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin

Practically, when it comes to invasion, the PLA is "still hampered by the limited number of amphibious combined arms brigades" it currently has, said NTU's Char.

From Barron's ● Jan. 29, 2026

“We know the disparities exist, but they become shockingly obvious,” said Char Miller, an environmental analysis professor at Pomona College in Claremont, Calif.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 6, 2026

Most known for its char kway teow, a wok-fried noodle dish with egg, shrimp, Chinese sausage and a hint of spice, head to Left-handed Char Koay Teow or Goggles Man Char Kuey Teow.

From Salon ● Nov. 15, 2025

Char Miller, a professor of environmental history at Pomona College and author of “Burn Scars,” a history of U.S. wildfire suppression, said new development was the “spark plug” for many of the region’s fires.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 9, 2025

Hanging out in the bathroom is party time, Char likes to say.

From "The Skin I'm In" by Sharon G. Flake

Avcoat is a mix of silica fibers, phenolic microballoons, and epoxy resin that chars and erodes, removing heat away.

From Barron's ● Apr. 10, 2026

“It’s like in forest fires where big, old-growth trees survive by charcoaling. The exterior chars, but the inside survives.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2025

But this time, Spears chars her publicly despised ex-boyfriend with accusations of cultural appropriation.

From Salon ● Oct. 29, 2023

The meat, usually chicken or lamb threaded on skewers, chars beautifully.

From Washington Times ● Apr. 17, 2023

There are at least four distinct species of trout; that is, trout proper and chars, now common to the coast.

From Game Birds and Game Fishes of the Pacific Coast by Payne, Harry Thom

Though the surrounding hillside was blackened and charred, the town of Cotignac was undamaged and the Barnes' family home left intact.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

Skies over Le Porge turned orange as smoke rose from charred and crackling pine trees, while helicopters made repeated runs over deserted neighbourhoods.

From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026

Dan Tana flew back to Los Angeles, expecting charred remains.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026

The creamy, savory sauce pairs beautifully with both the meat and the charred vegetables.

From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026

Another station had a big earthen firepit with charred metal grating and black cast-iron pots.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Which explains the recycling of the Artemis I heat shield, despite the charring incurred, albeit with a modified re-entry approach intended to reduce the stress on the module.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 14, 2026

Ean's cause of death could not be determined but a forensic pathologist told the court there were areas of charring to soft tissue and bone.

From BBC ● Jan. 27, 2025

A huge fire exploded Wednesday north of Castaic, charring more than 10,000 acres and forcing thousands to flee their homes amid a month of extreme fire conditions that have plagued Southern California.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 23, 2025

I also love charring sautéed vegetables on high heat with soy sauce, using that nice, charred aroma to flavor them.

From Salon ● Dec. 17, 2024

Around the edges, me and Jay’s book-shoes are charring.

From "Paradise on Fire" by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Related Words

• burn