charcoal

1 of 2

noun

char·​coal ˈchär-ˌkōl How to pronounce charcoal (audio)
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

Examples of charcoal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Like the picanha, the beef short ribs are seasoned only with coarse sea salt, but unlike the sirloin cap, the bones are first cooked for hours in a commissary smoker, which Gonzalez built himself, before they’re finished over charcoal on the truck. Tim Carman, Washington Post, 19 Sep. 2023 The effect was to attune the eye to subtle contrasts—the way a gown juxtaposed shiny pewter satin with matte taffeta in a similar hue, or a pair of sequinned ombré trousers changed from charcoal at the hip to faintly ashen at the hem. Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2023 The heavy cotton is sourced in Australia and comes in a handful of serene shades that will match any bathroom decor (including hues like cream, gray, and charcoal). Kaitlyn McInnis, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Sep. 2023 Give your backyard a major upgrade with this charcoal and wood-fired pizza oven. Sarah Grossbart, wsj.com, 11 Sep. 2023 Rubin said teams are only allowed to cook their food on the street the morning of the competition with natural heat sources like charcoal and wood, barring electric and gas devices from the competition. Richard Requena, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2023 The ultra-absorbent towels are made from 40 percent bamboo and 60 percent cotton and come in three different colors including charcoal, light grey, and white. Lauren Wellbank, Woman's Day, 8 Sep. 2023 With a black or charcoal suit on the other hand, these kicks are actually upping the class. Brad Lanphear, Men's Health, 8 Sep. 2023 And pit beef puritans needn’t worry: Chaps will be keeping its two charcoal grills, well-seasoned through the years with the stand’s secret spice rub. Amanda Yeager, Baltimore Sun, 8 Sep. 2023
Verb
It can be prepared a number of ways — baked, charcoaled or planked — but shad roe, which is probably the most desirable way to dine on the fish, is poached or broiled — or there’s the novel way Jeff and Janet Ayres make it. Frederick N. Rasmussen, Baltimore Sun, 4 Apr. 2023 This all adds up to a winning formula and the food certainly doesn’t disappoint, with innovative dishes such as the cherry kebab made from spiced kebab skewers, perfectly charcoaled and then covered with sauce made from sour cherries sourced from Armenia. Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2023 The floral comforter set is available in three different colorways: taupe, green multi, and charcoal. Andrea Wurzburger, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Jan. 2023 The brand is most famous for their scrubs, which range from apricots to charcoal to bamboo. Dallas News, 30 Nov. 2022 My attempt to get the fire going with newspaper, wood, and charcoal ends in a pitiful plume of smoke. Noo Saro-Wiwa, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Aug. 2022 While parts of the building were severely damaged from the flames - including sections of the walls and floorboards that were reduced to charcoal and ash - the metal staircase remained intact. CBS News, 7 Dec. 2022 Fresh snow reflects back 80% of the light that falls on it, green grass about 25% and charcoal a mere 4%. Helen Czerski, WSJ, 1 Dec. 2022 Year-round outdoor entertaining is simple with the BioLite FirePit+, which converts from wood to charcoal and from fire pit to BBQ grill in a flash. Tiffany Hopkins, Bon Appétit, 14 Nov. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'charcoal.' 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

Middle English charcole

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1965, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of charcoal was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near charcoal

Cite this Entry

“Charcoal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/charcoal. Accessed 2 Oct. 2023.

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 How to pronounce charcoal (audio)
: 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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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