coal tar

noun

: tar obtained by distillation of bituminous coal and used especially as an industrial fuel, in making dyes, and in the topical treatment of skin disorders

Examples of coal tar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The contaminants included untreated sewage, which caused cholera and typhoid outbreaks that claimed thousands of lives, and coal tar. Rana Hajirasouli, Harvard Business Review, 27 June 2024 As for the coal tar, a discovery that it could be distilled into the building blocks of synthetic dyes caused businesses to stop dumping it into the river and instead repurpose it into valuable dye compounds. Rana Hajirasouli, Harvard Business Review, 27 June 2024 Once the steamrollers evened out the crushed limestone track, a final coat of a coal tar binding agent was applied and the track was ready for racing. Dawn Mitchell, The Indianapolis Star, 22 May 2024 Vogel pointed out the swirls of coal tar, and other inky substances, streaming by on the surface of the canal like galaxies. Eric Lach, The New Yorker, 26 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for coal tar 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'coal tar.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1785, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of coal tar was in 1785

Dictionary Entries Near coal tar

Cite this Entry

“Coal tar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coal%20tar. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

coal tar

noun
: tar obtained from bituminous coal and used especially in making drugs and dyes

Medical Definition

coal tar

noun
: tar obtained by distillation of bituminous coal and used in the treatment of some skin diseases by direct local application to the skin

More from Merriam-Webster on coal tar

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