lignite

noun

lig·nite | \ ˈlig-ˌnīt

How to pronounce lignite (audio)

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Definition of lignite

: 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

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Examples of lignite in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Remarkably, this trend is even sweeping up brown coal, or lignite, a cheap-and-dirty variety that’s been seen as more resilient than Germany’s costlier black coal. — David Fickling | Bloomberg, Washington Post, "From Wyoming to Australia, Coal’s Heartlands Are Retreating," 25 Oct. 2019 Most of the lignite is burned in the Turow power plant located just next to the mine. — Washington Post, "Massive Polish coal mine sparks international dispute," 6 Dec. 2019 Some regions, particularly in the less prosperous east, are heavily dependent on mining lignite, or brown coal. — Geir Moulson, Fortune, "Germany agrees to pay utility companies billions to fast track coal phase out," 16 Jan. 2020 The Turow lignite coal mine in Poland is causing trouble for the environment and local communities - even in Germany and Czech Republic, whose border is just a short walk away. — Washington Post, "Massive Polish coal mine sparks international dispute," 6 Dec. 2019 Though Germany is pushing toward a greener future, and closed its last hard coal mine in 2018, lignite mines will remain open until 2038. — Wired, "The Acid Sludge Streaming Out of Germany's Coal Mines," 23 Oct. 2019 The share in the electricity mix of brown coal (lignite), the cheapest and dirtiest sort, has remained stable for two decades. — The Economist, "Germany’s pricey “coal exit”," 19 Sep. 2019 The Cabinet decision came four days before state elections in two eastern German regions, Saxony and Brandenburg, where lignite is mined. — Washington Post, "Germany to spend up to $44 billion to cushion coal exit," 28 Aug. 2019 Germany’s last deep-shaft black coal mine closed in December, but open-cast lignite, or brown coal, mines still operate. — Washington Post, "Germany to spend up to $44 billion to cushion coal exit," 28 Aug. 2019

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

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Dictionary Entries near lignite

ligninsulfonate

Statistics for lignite

Cite this Entry

“Lignite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lignite. Accessed 5 Mar. 2021.

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