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soot

American  
[soot, soot] / sʊt, sut /

noun

  1. a black, carbonaceous substance produced during incomplete combustion of coal, wood, oil, etc., rising in fine particles and adhering to the sides of the chimney or pipe conveying the smoke: also conveyed in the atmosphere to other locations.

verb (used with object)

  1. to mark, cover, or treat with soot.

soot British  
/ sʊt /

noun

  1. finely divided carbon deposited from flames during the incomplete combustion of organic substances such as 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

verb

  1. (tr) to cover with soot

"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
soot Scientific  
/ st /

  1. A black, powdery substance that consists mainly of carbon and is formed through the incomplete combustion of wood, coal, diesel oil, or other materials. Because it absorbs energy from sunlight rather than reflecting it, soot is believed to be a cause of global warming, especially when it settles on snow and ice, reducing their reflectivity. Soot particles in the air are a contributing factor in respiratory diseases.

Other Word Forms

  • sootless adjective
  • sootlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of soot

before 900; Middle English; Old English sōt; cognate with Old Norse sōt

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

They have battled to keep their windows, patios and cars clean - and they have been unable to hang out their washing as piles of soot would gather on anything in their gardens.

From BBC

Togbe plucked the fish off the grate, smiling, scraped soot off with his cutlass, and put them back, turning them over.

From Literature

For many residents with still-standing homes that were blanketed in toxic soot and ash, clear guidance on how to restore their homes to safe conditions would be a much welcome relief.

From Los Angeles Times

The 2025 Palisades fire destroyed multiple buildings on Pali High’s campus and deposited soot and ash in others.

From Los Angeles Times

Silver nitrate burned hot and fast, and even now her eyes itched furiously, and she could taste a chemical soot on her tongue.

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.