charcoal

Meanings

Noun

• Impure carbon obtained by destructive distillation of wood or other organic matter, that is to say, heating it in the absence of oxygen.
• A stick of black carbon material used for drawing.
• A drawing made with charcoal.
• A very dark gray colour.

Adjective

• Of a dark gray colour.
• Made of charcoal.

Verb

• To draw with charcoal.
• To cook over charcoal.

Origin

• From Middle English charcole, from charren + cole, from Old English cierran + col; equivalent to char + coal.