charcoal

1 of 2

noun

char·​coal ˈchär-ˌkōl 

1

: a dark or black porous carbon prepared from vegetable or animal substances (as from wood by charring in a kiln from which air is excluded)

2

a

: a piece or pencil of fine charcoal used in drawing

b

: a charcoal drawing

3

: a dark gray

charcoal

2 of 2

verb

charcoaled; charcoaling; charcoals

transitive verb

: charbroil

Examples of charcoal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

How Wallace re-creates a classic New Haven char without a charcoal oven. —Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2024

Conversely, charcoal grills get much hotter and allow the opportunity to achieve low and slow cooking, building deeper flavor. —Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 21 Oct. 2024

Verb

Diet: People who eat lots of salty foods, processed, grilled, or charcoaled meats. —John Tufts, The Courier-Journal, 6 Feb. 2024

Ocean Motion: India food critic, journalist, TV personality and talk show host, Vir Sangi accompanies Rosenthal to Trishna, a superb seafood restaurant, for fish curry, charcoaled jumbo prawns, lobster in chili sauce and butter-garlic crab. —Laura Manske, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English charcole

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1965, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

charcoal

noun

char·​coal

ˈchär-ˌkōl

1

: a dark or black absorbent carbon made by heating animal or vegetable material in the absence of air

2

a

: a piece or pencil of charcoal used in drawing

b

: a charcoal drawing

Medical Definition

charcoal

noun

char·​coal ˈchär-ˌkōl 

: a dark or black porous carbon prepared from vegetable or animal substances (as from wood by charring in a kiln from which air is excluded) see activated charcoal