charcoal
[ˈtʃɑː.kəʊl]
[ˈtʃɑɹ.koʊl]
An ash-like substance that's made from burned wood or plants.
When people talk about charcoal, they usually mean it as something that's used for grilling food. Imagine a backyard barbecue on a sunny day - the person cooking might be holding tongs over a grill with some glowing black lumps in it, and those are probably chunks of charcoal. You can buy charcoal in bags or boxes to use at home when you're cooking outdoors, but some people also talk about making their own charcoal from branches and leaves by burning them slowly.
How common is "charcoal"?
Word charcoal is considered uncommon in modern English.
It appears most frequently in magazine texts and less often in other writings.
It appears most frequently in magazine texts and less often in other writings.
Definitions
noun
Impure carbon obtained by destructive distillation of wood or other organic matter, that is to say, heating it in the absence of oxygen.
verb
To draw with charcoal.
adjective
Of a dark gray colour.
Real examples of "charcoal" in context
