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

Meanwhile, the two Rodríguez charcoals were withdrawn by its collector, fearing for the works’ safety in the U.S. after the election of Donald Trump. —Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 21 May 2025

Since 2023, the government has banned commercial charcoal production in the northern region over concerns about the alarming depletion of trees there. —John Okot, Christian Science Monitor, 20 May 2025

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

Rhymes for charcoal

• bankroll
• bedroll
• borehole
• cajole
• catchpole
• condole
• control
• dipole
• downhole
• enroll
• extol
• flagpole

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