charcoal

1 of 2

noun

char·​coal ˈchär-ˌkōl 

1

: a dark or black porous carbon prepared from vegetable or animal substances (as from wood by charring in a kiln from which air is excluded)

2

a

: a piece or pencil of fine charcoal used in drawing

b

: a charcoal drawing

3

: a dark gray

charcoal

2 of 2

verb

charcoaled; charcoaling; charcoals

transitive verb

: charbroil

Examples of charcoal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The resort lists a wide range of amenities including a clubhouse pool with water slides and a swim-up bar, hot tubs, restaurants, kayak rentals, charcoal grilling areas, spas and poolside or beachfront massages. —Michael Salerno, AZCentral.com, 12 Aug. 2025

If using a charcoal grill, fill a chimney starter with charcoal, light it, and when the coals are white-gray with ash, pour them onto the charcoal grate, adding more charcoal, if necessary. —The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 July 2025

Verb

Advertisement The result is a terrible new normal, with immense out-of-control wildfires now regularly turning massive swaths of the boreal belt around the top of the world to charcoal. —Stephen Maher, Time, 2 July 2025

Diet: People who eat lots of salty foods, processed, grilled, or charcoaled meats. —John Tufts, The Courier-Journal, 6 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English charcole

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1965, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for charcoal

• bankroll
• bedroll
• borehole
• cajole
• catchpole
• condole
• control
• dipole
• downhole
• enroll
• extol
• flagpole

Kids Definition

charcoal

noun

char·​coal

ˈchär-ˌkōl

1

: a dark or black absorbent carbon made by heating animal or vegetable material in the absence of air

2

a

: a piece or pencil of charcoal used in drawing

b

: a charcoal drawing

Medical Definition

charcoal

noun

char·​coal ˈchär-ˌkōl 

: a dark or black porous carbon prepared from vegetable or animal substances (as from wood by charring in a kiln from which air is excluded) see activated charcoal