coal
Pluralcoals (some meanings)
Pluralcoals (some meanings)
- 1A hard black rock from the ground that is burned to make heat or power.
Like wood, but it is a hard black rock you burn instead.
They shoveled coal into the stove all winter to stay warm.
This power plant still burns coal to make electricity.
UsageSay coal, or a lump of coal for one piece.
Note
- 2A small piece of wood, coal, or other fuel that is glowing or blackened from a fire.
Like the little orange-hot bits left at the bottom of a fire.
She raked a glowing coal from the fire and lit her pipe.
The campers stirred the dying coals before adding more wood.
UsageOften hot coals or glowing coals.
Note
- 3A single lump of the fuel rock meant to be burned.
Like adding one more log to a fire, but the log is a black rock.
He placed another coal on the fire before bed.
She fetched a few coals from the scuttle by the hearth.
UsageYou can say some coal or some coals.
Less common meanings
- 4
- 5
- 6Money, in old slang.
Note
- 7Very deep black, like the color of coal.
Just entering the ballroom were a cat and a bird. The cat had black ears nestled in his coal hair and a purple mask over his violet eyes. He had a long ebony tail. 99 9.
2011, C. C. W. Henderson, Blue Heron and Pizzazz - 8Black material made by slowly burning wood, used for fires or for drawing.
- 9To burn something until it becomes charcoal or turns black and hard.
Char-coal of roots, coaled into great pieces.
1622, Francis Bacon, Natural History - 10To draw or mark something using charcoal.
- 11Bombs or shells that give off thick black smoke when they hit.
Showing meanings only.
Practice
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Origin
From Old English col. It goes back to an old root meaning "to burn or shine."
Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts
- Coal descends from Old English col. en.wiktionary.org
- Coal ultimately derives from a root meaning “to burn or shine”. en.wiktionary.org