# charcoal

Pronunciation: say "CHAR-kohl" US /ˈt͡ʃɑɹ.koʊl/, UK /ˈtʃɑː.kəʊl/

## Noun

1. A form of impure carbon produced by heating wood or other organic matter with little or no oxygen.
   - Simple: A black material made by heating wood slowly with little or no air.
   - _The blacksmith fed charcoal into the forge to reach a higher temperature._
   - _Traditional kilns turn stacked logs into charcoal over several days._
2. A stick of compressed black carbon used by artists for drawing and shading.
   - Simple: A thin black stick used for drawing and sketching.
   - _She preferred a soft charcoal for the deep blacks in her portrait._
   - _A box of vine charcoals sat beside the easel._
3. A very dark gray, close to black.
   - Simple: A very dark shade of gray, almost black.
   - _The designer chose charcoal for the suit's lining._
   - _Charcoal works well as a neutral backdrop in modern interiors._
6. A drawing or sketch produced using charcoal sticks.
   - Simple: A picture drawn using black charcoal sticks.
   - _The museum displayed several charcoals by the young artist._
   - _He gave her a charcoal he had made during the workshop._

## Adjective

4. Of a very dark gray color, close to black.
   - Simple: Having a very dark gray color, almost black.
   - _The architect specified charcoal cladding for the building's exterior._
   - _His charcoal overcoat stood out against the snow._
5. Made of charcoal, the impure black carbon left when wood or other organic matter is heated without oxygen.
   - Simple: Made of charcoal, the black material left after wood is heated with very little air.
   - _The water filter relies on a charcoal core to trap contaminants._
   - _The restaurant switched from gas to charcoal fuel for its brick oven._

## Verb

7. To cook food over burning charcoal.
   - Simple: To cook food over burning black coals.
   - _Street vendors charcoal skewers of meat along the boulevard._
   - _I prefer to charcoal corn until the kernels char slightly._
8. To sketch or draw using charcoal.
   - Simple: To draw a picture using black charcoal sticks.
   - _The artist charcoaled a quick portrait of the sitter._
   - _Beginners often charcoal simple shapes before attempting detail._

## Origin

From Middle English charcole, combining charren ("to change, turn," from Old English cierran) with cole ("coal," from Old English col); equivalent to char plus coal.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/charcoal (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).