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
Rabe furikake and charred scallion crema finish off one of the best dishes on the menu. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 13 Mar. 2024 Cut and seed jalapeños and place them on a baking sheet in the oven for one minute, until heavily charred. Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Mar. 2024 The van, also on its side on the shoulder of the road, appeared to have been charred by fire. Drew Dawson, Journal Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2024 Thousands of cattle are feared dead, and wide swaths of land are charred, dealing a blow to ranchers and farmers who form the economic backbone of the region. Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2024 Ranchers and state officials do not yet know the overall number of cattle killed in wildfires that have burned 1,950 square miles (5,050 square kilometers), briefly shut down a nuclear power plant, charred hundreds of homes and other structures, and left two people dead. Sean Murphy, Fortune, 2 Mar. 2024 In addition to the Smokehouse Creek Fire, which has burned 850,000 acres in just Texas, the Windy Deuce Fire in that state has burned 142,000 acres and the Grape Vine Creek Fire has charred 30,000 acres. Joe Sutton, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024 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
Noun
Happily, my fellow members turned out to be kitchen experts; one of them, the author of multiple cookbooks, immediately took control of the grill to char plantains, tomatoes, onions, spices, and herbs. Flora Stubbs, Travel + Leisure, 5 Feb. 2024 The Arctic char tacos are served with greens grown hydroponically in nearby shipping containers. Fiona McGlynn, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2024 Grill the meat over direct heat until char lines appear and meat is done to taste, 5 minutes per side for medium-rare, or broil until charred, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Emily Weinstein, Charlotte Observer, 30 Jan. 2024 The char siu chicken was the standout — juicy, tender, and a little sweet and smoky. Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 3 Jan. 2024 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

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 29 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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