charcoal

[ chahr-kohl ]

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.

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

/ 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

verb

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

charcoal

/ 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.

Other Words From

• charcoaly adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of charcoal¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of charcoal¹

C14: from char (origin obscure) + coal

Example Sentences

Over time, odors and their accompanying residues can collect in rugs and on furniture, so looking for activated carbon or charcoal is an important consideration if you’re a smoker or a pet owner.

From Popular-Science

The interior of the 171-meter-long lava tube was covered with charcoal deposits concentrated around what was once a roughly 1,000-square-meter block of ice.

From Science News

Clorox managed to reinvigorate its grilling business with relatively simple changes, including introducing wood pellets for grills and offering charcoal that lights faster.

From Fortune

Dante West Village is a seafood-driven restaurant, focused around a wood-fired grill and charcoal oven.

From Fortune

However, there was also plenty of charcoal buried in the sediments, which forms when woody matter is burned.

From Popular-Science

As for the claims that activated charcoal will help purify your body from toxins?

From The Daily Beast

But not all health care providers agree that charcoal should be used outside of a medical setting.

From The Daily Beast

Anything in your gut sticks to the surface of charcoal like a magnet and gets carried out through a bowel movement.

From The Daily Beast

Some natural health practitioners also say activated charcoal can be useful to treat minor digestive issues.

From The Daily Beast

It was dark, dank, the walls charcoal-colored, the feeling of a cave.

From The Daily Beast

Approaching a native hut to ask for a piece of charcoal wherewith to light a cigar, he happened to look inside.

From Project Gutenberg

Aconite … night boat … sea sick … emetics … exhaustion … stimulants … hard drinking … spontaneous combustion … animal charcoal.

From Project Gutenberg

For twenty minutes his hand never falters, then the charcoal drops from his nerveless fingers!

From Project Gutenberg

As in a trance he crosses the room, seizes charcoal, and feverishly works at the blank canvas on the easel.

From Project Gutenberg

I pointed through the woods to a bit of clearing made by a charcoal burner.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• graphite
• soot