char

1 of 5

noun (1)

variants or less commonly charr
plural char or chars also charr or charrs
: any of a genus (Salvelinus) of small-scaled trouts with light-colored spots

char

2 of 5

verb (1)

charred; charring

transitive verb

1
: to convert to charcoal or carbon usually by heat : burn
2
: to burn slightly or partly : scorch
the fire charred the beams

char

3 of 5

noun (2)

plural chars
1
: a charred substance : charcoal
specifically : a combustible residue remaining after the destructive distillation of coal
2
: a darkened crust produced on grilled food
Because gas grills generally produce less heat than charcoal grills, the steak requires a longer cooking time (and less frequent flipping) to develop a nice char.David Pazmiño

char

4 of 5

verb (2)

charred; charring

intransitive verb

: to work as a cleaning woman

char

5 of 5

noun (3)

British

Examples of char in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Turn on the broiler and continue to roast to slightly char the edges of the cheese, 3 to 5 minutes more. Lynda Balslev, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 New questions were being raised about the origins of the biggest blaze, known as the Smokehouse Creek fire, which has charred at least 1,075,000 acres of land and become the largest wildfire on record in Texas history. J. David Goodman, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2024 This method—where the wood is lightly charred before being used—seals it against water and mildew. Stephen Armstrong, WIRED, 21 Feb. 2024 Here, housemade pastas and breads and fresh vegetables charred over a wood-burning fire shine. Detroit Free Press, 15 Feb. 2024 Some concrete buildings are charred by blasts; others are wrecked. Alexander Smith, NBC News, 14 Feb. 2024 But last month, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said the flight will be delayed to September 2025 because the space agency needs to further study Orion’s heat shield, which showed more charring than anticipated. Christian Davenport, Washington Post, 13 Feb. 2024 The side of a neighboring home was also charred and the entire block was evacuated, according to the district attorney. USA TODAY, 8 Feb. 2024 Soot charred one side of the building as flames also ravaged two vehicles.. Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 10 Feb. 2024
Noun
Throw these steaks onto a super-hot skillet to get the same char. 3 of 10Iain Bagwell Savory Carrot Ribbon Tart With its tangle of bright carrot strips and bits of spicy chorizo, this beautiful tart makes an exciting appetizer or even a light main dish. Jenna Anderson, Sunset Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024 Who better to tell the story of a slightly lopsided head of lettuce, a jar of pickled jalapeños, or the light char on a sourdough loaf than the person who created it? Jordan P. Hickey, Longreads, 22 Feb. 2024 Tandoori smoked lamb chops are tender and smoky with a crispy char. Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 30 Jan. 2024 How to catch them: Mackinaws, also known as lake trout, are actually char, like brook trout. Jordan Rodriguez, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 Cook the beans until some char starts to happen, turning or rolling the beans to get equal char. Fred Thompson, Charlotte Observer, 30 Jan. 2024 Sure enough, the taco was extra warm and yielding, and the flavors—the flour and the char, the faint and sweet minerality of the potato, the spice and fat of the chorizo—all blurred together, a perfect harmonic chord. Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2024 The result is a light and chewy texture with a hint of elasticity under the smoky char. Jill Wendholt Silva and Tyler Fox, Kansas City Star, 30 Jan. 2024 The zingy meatballs are oven-roasted while the zucchini chars in a pan on the stove. Julie Giuffrida, Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'char.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

origin unknown

Verb (1)

charcoal

Verb (2)

charwoman

Noun (3)

by shortening

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1662, in the meaning defined above

Verb (1)

1679, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1879, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1732, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1906, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of char was in 1662

Dictionary Entries Near char

Cite this Entry

“Char.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/char. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

char

1 of 3 noun
plural char or chars
: any of a genus of trouts that have small scales and include the common brook trout

char

2 of 3 verb
charred; charring
1
: to change or become changed to charcoal or carbon usually by heat : burn
2
: to burn or become burned partly or slightly : scorch

char

3 of 3 noun

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