charcoal

1 of 2

noun

char·​coal ˈchär-ˌkōl How to pronounce charcoal (audio)
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

charcoal

2 of 2

verb

charcoaled; charcoaling; charcoals

Examples of charcoal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Submerge charcoal in water until it's thoroughly cooled. Kansas City Star Weather Bot, Kansas City Star, 1 Mar. 2025 Lem’s Bar-B-Q, in its 71st year, still serves countless rib tips and hot links to customers crossing generations, who have stayed loyal to the Lemons’ family tradition of imbuing generous cuts of meat with the flavors of hickory wood, charcoal and fire. Zareen Syed, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2025
Verb
Diet: People who eat lots of salty foods, processed, grilled, or charcoaled meats. John Tufts, The Courier-Journal, 6 Feb. 2024 Ocean Motion: India food critic, journalist, TV personality and talk show host, Vir Sangi accompanies Rosenthal to Trishna, a superb seafood restaurant, for fish curry, charcoaled jumbo prawns, lobster in chili sauce and butter-garlic crab. Laura Manske, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 See All Example Sentences for charcoal

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English charcole

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1965, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of charcoal was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Charcoal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/charcoal. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

charcoal

noun
char·​coal
ˈchär-ˌkōl
1
: a dark or black absorbent carbon made by heating animal or vegetable material in the absence of air
2
a
: a piece or pencil of charcoal used in drawing
b
: a charcoal drawing

Medical Definition

charcoal

noun
char·​coal ˈchär-ˌkōl How to pronounce charcoal (audio)
: 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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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