charcoal

American  

[chahr-kohl] / ˈtʃɑrˌkoʊl /

noun

1. the carbonaceous material obtained by heating wood or other organic substances in the absence of air.

2. a drawing pencil of charcoal.

3. a drawing made with charcoal.

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verb (used with object)

1. to blacken, write, or draw with charcoal.

2. to cook (food) over charcoal, especially on a grill.

verb (used without object)

1. to cook food over charcoal, especially on a grill.

charcoal British  

/ ˈtʃɑːˌkəʊl /

noun

1. a black amorphous form of carbon made by heating wood or other organic matter in the absence of air: used as a fuel, in smelting metal ores, in explosives, and as an absorbent See activated carbon

2. a stick or pencil of this for drawing

3. a drawing done in charcoal

4. short for charcoal grey

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verb

1. (tr) to write, draw, or blacken with charcoal

charcoal Scientific  

/ chär′kōl′ /

1. A black porous form of carbon produced by heating wood or bone in little or no air. Charcoal is used as a fuel, for drawing, and in air and water filters.

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Other Word Forms

• charcoaly adjective

Etymology

Origin of charcoal

1300–50; Middle English charcole, perhaps cherre char ³ + cole coal, though literal sense of the compound is unclear

Example Sentences

The unearthing in 2018 of a charcoal inscription at Pompeii featuring a date in October has been grist to the mill of those who seek to push the eruption beyond August.

From The Wall Street Journal

The entire upper half of the canvas is an abstraction of mottled brushstrokes ranging from charcoal gray to a deep velvety black that surrounds the head like a heavy halo.

From The Wall Street Journal

Do forests reduced to blackened earth and charcoal trees recover?

From Los Angeles Times

Crowd Cow’s grass-fed, Frenched rack from New Zealand practically begs to be kissed by charcoal.

From Salon

A built-in fire starter makes lighting lump charcoal painless, while an integrated fan keeps the temperature steady anywhere between 225 and 700 degrees.

From Salon

Related Words

• sunless
• unlighted
• unlit