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

Explanation

Charcoal is the black substance left over when wood is heated in the absence of oxygen. You can cook with charcoal by burning it in your backyard grill. Charcoal is used in many ways, but its most important use has probably been by blacksmiths and other metal workers, who historically used extremely hot charcoal fires to heat metal. Charcoal is also used to make explosive blasting powders and common water filters. One theory of the word's origin combines the obsolete verb charren, "to turn," and cole, "coal" — in other words, "to turn to coal."

Example Sentences

The Weber Master-Touch Charcoal Grill takes that beauty and maximizes it, with a whopping 26-inch cooking surface.

From Salon • Nov. 20, 2025

Charcoal is Rafidi’s favorite grilling medium, but a gas grill or pan also does wonders.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 2, 2025

Charcoal found alongside stone tools and animal bones inside one cave on Lutruwita has been dated to 39,900 years ago.

From Science Magazine • Nov. 14, 2024

Charcoal and pottery tempted her, but she settled on watercolor.

From New York Times • Jun. 3, 2024

Charcoal residues from a fire can thereby end up close to the remains of a plant or animal that died and was eaten thousands of years earlier or later.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

• sunless
• unlighted
• unlit