: a usually brownish black coal intermediate between peat and bituminous coal
especially
: one in which the texture of the original wood is distinct
called also brown coal
Examples of lignite in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The pendant was made from jet, a type of lignite gemstone or the lowest rank of coal, the archaeologist said.
—
Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2025
Gallium and germanium are byproducts of other ores – zinc for gallium, lignite coal for germanium.
—Scott L. Montgomery, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 2025
That system now has an annual throughput of more than 7 billion metric tons of hard coal and lignite, about 4 billion metric tons of crude oil, and more than 3 trillion cubic meters of natural gas.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 June 2012
The measure also requires plants that use lignite coal to meet the same mercury emissions standards as facilities firing other types of coal.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 4 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for lignite
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Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2025
Gallium and germanium are byproducts of other ores – zinc for gallium, lignite coal for germanium.
—Scott L. Montgomery, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 2025
That system now has an annual throughput of more than 7 billion metric tons of hard coal and lignite, about 4 billion metric tons of crude oil, and more than 3 trillion cubic meters of natural gas.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 June 2012
The measure also requires plants that use lignite coal to meet the same mercury emissions standards as facilities firing other types of coal.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 4 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for lignite
Cite this Entry
“Lignite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lignite. Accessed 28 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lignite
noun
lig·nite
ˈlig-ˌnīt 
: a usually brownish black coal between peat and bituminous coal in age and heating ability
especially
: one in which the texture of the original wood is distinct
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