carbon

noun

car·​bon ˈkär-bən 

plural carbons

1

a

: a nonmetallic chemical element with atomic number 6 that readily forms compounds with many other elements and is a constituent of organic compounds in all known living tissues

—often used before another noun

carbon atoms

carbon life forms

carbon fibers

see Chemical Elements Table

b

: carbon dioxide

Forests, plants and natural lands can help absorb and store excess carbon from the atmosphere.

—Alex Baumhardt

—often used before another noun

carbon emissions

Oil companies … are investing in carbon capture projects as public and investor pressures mount over climate change.

—Paul Takahashi

2

: a carbon rod used in an arc lamp

3

a

: a sheet of carbon paper

b

: carbon copy

Synonyms

• alter ego
• carbon copy
• clone
• counterpart
• doppelgänger
• doppelganger
• double
• duplicate
• duplication
• facsimile
• fetch
• image
• likeness
• look-alike
• match
• mirror image
• picture
• replica
• ringer
• spit
• spitting image
• twin

Examples of carbon in a Sentence

a carbon of the document

this new digital camera is a carbon of a well-known model costing almost twice as much

Recent Examples on the Web

Their investment in fuel-efficient Boeing 737 MAX aircraft has also reduced per-passenger carbon emissions on key routes. —Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 18 June 2025

Advertisement In China, rapidly expanding clean energy has sent carbon emissions into reverse for the first time, part of a 15 year plan by Beijing to electrify its economy and reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. —Laurence Tubiana, Time, 18 June 2025

Prairie State is one of the top 10 biggest polluters in the country, and released over 12 million tons of carbon emissions in 2023, according to the EPA’s most recent greenhouse gas data. —Lily Carey, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2025

The company plans for its super-midsized Phantom 3500 to enter service in 2030, about 20 years before aviation has made a collective pledge to reach net-zero carbon emissions. —Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 18 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

French carbone, from Latin carbon-, carbo ember, charcoal

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing carbon

• activated carbon
• blind carbon copy
• carbon black
• carbon capture
• carbon capture and storage
• carbon copy
• carbon cycle
• carbon dating
• carbon dioxide
• carbon disulfide
• carbon fiber
• carbon footprint
• carbon monoxide
• carbon paper
• carbon sequestration
• carbon sink
• carbon steel
• carbon tetrachloride

Rhymes for carbon

• fluorocarbon
• hydrocarbon

Kids Definition

carbon

noun

car·​bon ˈkär-bən 

1

: a nonmetallic element found more or less pure in nature (as in diamond and graphite) or as a part of coal and petroleum and of the bodies of living things or obtained artificially see element

2

a

: a sheet of carbon paper

b

: carbon copy sense 1

Medical Definition

carbon

noun

car·​bon ˈkär-bən 

: a nonmetallic chemical element with atomic number 6 that readily forms compounds with many other elements and is a constituent of organic compounds in all known living tissues

—symbol C see Chemical Elements Table