lignite

noun

lig·​nite ˈlig-ˌnīt 

: 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

lignitic

lig-ˈni-tik 

adjective

Examples of lignite in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But Harvard University research disputes that —– finding elevated levels of mercury in states such as North Dakota and Texas, where power plants still burn a lot of lignite coal. — Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 18 Mar. 2026

Those earlier rules allowed power plants that burned a particularly dirty form of coal called lignite coal to emit more mercury than plants that burned other forms of the fossil fuel. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 20 Feb. 2026

This part of the country used to have a reputation for its lignite strip mines and heavy pollution. — Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2025

For now, the Mississippi lignite once destined to fuel the Kemper County clean coal plant will remain in the ground. — David Wagman, IEEE Spectrum, 30 June 2017

Word History

Etymology

French, from Latin lignum

First Known Use

circa 1808, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for lignite

• affright
• airtight
• albite
• alight
• alright
• aplite
• aright
• bainite
• birthright
• bobwhite
• bornite
• bullfight

Kids 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