soot
[ soo t, soot ]
/ sʊt, sut /
noun
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)
to mark, cover, or treat with soot.
Nearby words
sooner state, sooner the better, the, soonest, soong, soony, soot, sooth, soothe, soothfast, soothfastly, soothing
Origin of soot
before 900; Middle English; Old English sōt; cognate with Old Norse sōt
Related forms
soot·less, adjectivesoot·like, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for soot
British Dictionary definitions for soot
soot
/ (sʊt) /
noun
finely divided carbon deposited from flames during the incomplete combustion of organic substances such as coal
verb
(tr) to cover with soot
Word Origin for soot
Old English sōt; related to Old Norse, Middle Low German sōt, Lithuanian sódis, Old Slavonic sažda, Old Irish sūide
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Science definitions for soot
soot
[ sut ]
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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.