char

1 of 5

noun (1)

ˈchär 

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

intransitive verb

: to become charred

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

: charwoman

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• scorch
• sear
• singe

Noun (3)

• biddy
• charwoman
• handmaiden
• handmaid
• house girl
• housekeeper
• housemaid
• maid
• maidservant
• skivvy [British]
• wench [old-fashioned]

Examples of char in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

In all instances, investigators begin their search by looking for indicators — residue and charred remains that tell the story of the fire’s passage. —John Riha, Discover Magazine, 12 Nov. 2023

Even after the shelters had been nominally cleaned, their interiors were charred, their walls pockmarked by bullets and shrapnel and their ceilings spattered with blood. —Isabel Kershner Amit Elkayam, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2023

Texas Department of Public Safety Images from the scene of the crash show the two vehicles entirely decimated and charred. —Gina Martinez, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2023

The streets were lined with debris: a truck riddled with bullets, charred washing machines and bicycles, the carcass of a neighbor’s dog. —Kevin Sieff, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2023

Bake broccolini: Bake in preheated oven until charred and stems are tender, about 15 minutes. —Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 6 Nov. 2023

Truck fire chars 5,000 pumpkins on 5 Freeway Oct. 25, 2023 Aside from pumpkin smashing there will be kids activities, free food, free bike repairs and an electronic waste collection site. —Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2023

Dark roast: Coffee that falls under the dark roast category ranges from slightly dark to charred. —Amanda MacMillan, Health, 29 Oct. 2023

Dozens of bicycles, the primary means of getting around here, lie charred on the ground. —Alexander Smith, NBC News, 28 Oct. 2023

Noun

Advocates say that in the event of catastrophic fire, the thick beams would slowly char rather than combust, and that even then, the timber would burn at a steady, measurable rate — unlike steel, which melts and suddenly folds. —William Booth, Washington Post, 31 Oct. 2023

The footage includes photographs of two babies that had been shot in the head and two infants who appear to have been burnt to a char. —Anna Schecter, NBC News, 28 Oct. 2023

The cheese melted nicely and the crust was crispy and puffed up with some good char marks. —Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 31 Oct. 2023

Cooking the chicken breasts on the high heat of the grill imparts lovely char—and means that dinner will be ready in no time. —Karen Schroeder-Rankin, Southern Living, 22 Oct. 2023

These frigid Arctic waters aren’t particularly productive, biologically speaking, meaning there isn’t normally a tremendous amount for native species like Dolly Varden and Arctic char to eat. —WIRED, 18 Oct. 2023

Though many Mesoamerican homes use a comal, a flat pan made of steel or heat-resistant clay, to char vegetables, Gutierrez uses a cast-iron skillet to get the job done. —Sandra A. Gutierrez, Saveur, 11 Oct. 2023

Indeed, this tequila is full of flavor, but not dominated by tannic oak and char. —Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 26 Sep. 2023

Jeremy Rashaad Baker, 32, of Flowery Branch, is facing murder and armed robbery char ... —David Aaro, ajc, 23 Aug. 2023

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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

Phrases Containing char

• arctic char

• arctic char

Kids Definition

char

1 of 3 noun

ˈchär 

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

: charcoal