charcoal

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noun char·coal \ ˈchär-ˌkōl \

Definition of charcoal

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

See charcoal defined for English-language learners

See charcoal defined for kids

Recent Examples of charcoal from the Web

The combination of charcoal grilled flavor with the spice of the garlic and BBQ sauce makes for a delicious weekend dish.

— for kroger, The Courier-Journal, "Having a Back Yard BBQ this Labor Day?," 28 Aug. 2017
In the background, Kentridge creates a world of barren charcoal landscapes.

— david lyman, Cincinnati.com, "A day at the museum: Hypnotic and mesmerizing," 18 Aug. 2017
Between them were the remains of beehive coke ovens, which were used to heat charcoal into a cleaner-burning coal coke used to fuel the furnace.

— AL.com, "Take a ghost town road trip through Northeast Alabama with this guide," 7 Aug. 2017
The sleek yet comfy looking chair (which comes in cherry red or charcoal) seats at least two thanks to the rounded nooks on either side.

— sarah schreiber, House Beautiful, "This Oversized Ethan Allen Chair Is for the Ultimate Disney Lover," 25 July 2017
This means the charcoal's on one side of the grill, and your food's on the other.

— james p. dewan, chicagotribune.com, "How to avoid meat that's blackened outside, raw inside, and other grilling tips," 19 July 2017
His stained hands sift through jagged pieces of charcoal in his busy shop in South Sudan’s capital.

— sam mednick, The Seattle Times, "War-torn South Sudan at grave risk on climate change," 18 July 2017
Preheat your grill to high, or start a charcoal fire.

— debbie arrington, sacbee, "Summer menus a snap with these green beans," 18 July 2017
Here's how to cut that down a bit and pull it off at home: For a charcoal grill, fill the chimney starter with charcoal; light and let burn until coals are covered with a thin layer of ash.

— andrew knowlton, Bon Appetit, "You Can 100% Smoke Chicken Wings at Home," 17 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'charcoal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of charcoal

Middle English charcole

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

charcoal

verb

Definition of charcoal

transitive verb

:charbroil

Recent Examples of charcoal from the Web

Bruce Gilbert Miami Herald File All that remained in the rubble was a charcoaled safe that contained some of the company’s accounts receivable and payable records.

— howard cohen, miamiherald, "The family businessman who helped grow Norton Tire into a national symbol," 4 Aug. 2017

First Known Use of charcoal

1965

CHARCOAL Defined for English Language Learners

charcoal

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noun

Definition of charcoal for English Language Learners

: a hard black material that is made by burning wood with a small amount of air
: a dark gray color

CHARCOAL Defined for Kids

charcoal

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noun char·coal \ ˈchär-ˌkōl \

Definition of charcoal for Students

:a black or dark absorbent fuel made by heating wood in the absence of air

Medical Dictionary

charcoal

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noun char·coal \ ˈchär-ˌkōl \

medical Definition of charcoal

: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