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char

1
[ chahr ]
/ tʃɑr /
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See synonyms for char on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object), charred, char·ring.
to burn or reduce to charcoal: The fire charred the paper.
to burn slightly; scorch: The flame charred the steak.
verb (used without object), charred, char·ring.
to become charred.
noun
a charred material or surface.
charcoal (def. 1).
a superior carbon-rich fuel, a by-product of the conversion of coal into gaseous or liquid fuel.
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Origin of char

1
First recorded in 1670–80; apparently extracted from charcoal; see chark

Words nearby char

chapter ring, chapter stop, chaptrel, Chapultepec, chaqueta, char, char-à-banc, characin, character, character actor, character armour

Other definitions for char (2 of 6)

char2

or charr

[ chahr ]
/ tʃɑr /
noun, plural (especially collectively) char, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species) chars.
any trout of the genus Salvelinus (or Cristovomer), especially the Arctic char.

Origin of char

2
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 char3

Other definitions for char (3 of 6)

char3
[ chahr ]
/ tʃɑr /
Chiefly British
noun
a charwoman.
a task, especially a household chore.
chars, odd jobs, especially of housework, for which one is paid by the hour or day.
verb (used without object), charred, char·ring.
to work at housecleaning by the day or hour; hire oneself out to do odd jobs.
verb (used with object), charred, char·ring.
to do (housework, odd jobs, or chores); clean or repair.

Origin of char

3
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, Old English cerr, cierr “turn, time, occasion, affair,” derivative of cierran “to turn”

Other definitions for char (4 of 6)

char4
[ chahr ]
/ tʃɑr /
noun British Informal.
tea.

Origin of char

4
First recorded in 1915–20; from Hindi cā “tea” (see tea); for spelling with r cf. arvo, Parcheesi

Other definitions for char (5 of 6)

Char
[ shar ]
/ ʃar /
noun
Re·né [ruh-ney], /rəˈneɪ/, 1907–1988, French poet.

Other definitions for char (6 of 6)

char.
abbreviation
character.
charter.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to char

burn, carbonize, cauterize, singe

How to use char in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for char (1 of 4)

char1
/ (tʃɑː) /
verb chars, charring or charred
to burn or be burned partially, esp so as to blacken the surface; scorch
(tr) to reduce (wood) to charcoal by partial combustion

Word Origin for char

C17: short for charcoal

British Dictionary definitions for char (2 of 4)

char2

charr

/ (tʃɑː) /
noun plural char, chars, charr or charrs
any of various troutlike fishes of the genus Salvelinus, esp S. alpinus, occurring in cold lakes and northern seas: family Salmonidae (salmon)

Word Origin for char

C17: of unknown origin

British Dictionary definitions for char (3 of 4)

char3
/ (tʃɑː) /
noun
informal short for charwoman
verb chars, charring or charred
British informal to do housework, cleaning, etc, as a job

Word Origin for char

C18: from Old English cerr

British Dictionary definitions for char (4 of 4)

char4
/ (tʃɑː) /
noun
British a slang word for tea

Word Origin for char

from Chinese ch'a
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
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