bituminous coal

noun

a mineral coal that contains volatile hydrocarbons and tarry matter and burns with a yellow, smoky flame; soft coal.

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Origin of bituminous coal

First recorded in 1875–80

Words Nearby bituminous coal

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use bituminous coal in a sentence

More than 80% of Virginia's mining employment is in bituminous coal which is the chief mining product of the nation as a whole.
Hallowed Heritage: The Life of Virginia | Dorothy M. Torpey
The odor of the petroleum first discovered was similar to that of the cheap bituminous coal.
Birds and All Nature, Vol. VI, No. 3, October 1899 | Various
By 1900 the eight-hour day was the rule in the building trades, in granite cutting and in bituminous coal mining.
A History of Trade Unionism in the United States | Selig Perlman
There is a locality of bituminous coal on Fox River, about forty miles south.
Summary Narrative of an Exploratory Expedition to the Sources of the Mississippi River, in 1820 | Henry Rowe Schoolcraft
bituminous coal exists in great profusion in various parts of the Western Valley.
A New Guide for Emigrants to the West | J. M. Peck

British Dictionary definitions for bituminous coal

bituminous coal

noun

a soft black coal, rich in volatile hydrocarbons, that burns with a smoky yellow flame. Fixed carbon content: 46–86 per cent; calorific value: 1.93 × 10 7 – 3.63 × 10 7 J/kg: Also called: soft coal

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for bituminous coal

bituminous coal

[ bĭ-tōō′mə-nəs ]

A soft type of coal that burns with a smoky, yellow flame. Bituminous coal is the most abundant form of coal. It has a high sulfur content, and when burned, gives off sulfurous compounds that contribute to air pollution and acid rain. Compare anthracite lignite.

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