soot

1 of 2

noun

: a black substance formed by combustion or separated from fuel during combustion, rising in fine particles, and adhering to the sides of the chimney or pipe conveying the smoke
especially : the fine powder consisting chiefly of carbon that colors smoke

soot

2 of 2

verb

sooted; sooting; soots

transitive verb

: to coat or cover with soot

Examples of soot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
In the 1980s and 1990s, for instance, efforts to tackle air pollution in the U.S. led to a dramatic decrease in fine particulate soot in Southern California and cut the incidence of asthma among local children by 20%. Kari Nadeau, STAT, 4 Apr. 2024 The process involves sourcing readily available ingredients, such as plants, tree sap, or stone, which are then burned to soot, melted, or ground into powders with a mortar and pestle. Zahra Hankir, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for soot 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'soot.' 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, from Old English sōt; akin to Old Irish suide soot, Old English sittan to sit

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1602, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of soot was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near soot

Cite this Entry

“Soot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soot. Accessed 5 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

soot

noun
ˈsu̇t,
ˈsət,
ˈsüt
: a black powder formed when something is burned
especially : the fine powder consisting chiefly of carbon that colors smoke
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!