charcoal Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a carbonaceous material obtained by heating wood or other organic matter in the absence of air
    wood coal.
  2. noun a stick of black carbon material used for drawing
    fusain.
  3. noun a very dark grey color
    charcoal grey; oxford grey; charcoal gray; oxford gray.
  4. noun a drawing made with a stick of black carbon material
  5. verb draw, trace, or represent with charcoal
  6. adjective satellite of a very dark grey
    charcoal-grey; charcoal-gray.

WordNet

Char"coal` noun
Etymology
See Char, v. t., to burn or to reduce to coal, and Coal.
Definitions
  1. Impure carbon prepared from vegetable or animal substances; esp., coal made by charring wood in a kiln, retort, etc., from which air is excluded. It is used for fuel and in various mechanical, artistic, and chemical processes.
  2. (Fine Arts) Finely prepared charcoal in small sticks, used as a drawing implement.

Webster 1913