noun
coal
kohl
noun
1
A black or dark brown rock, formed from ancient plant matter, burned as fuel.
"The old house was heated with coal."
2
A glowing or burnt piece of fuel, such as from a fire.
"They roasted marshmallows over the glowing coals."
How to Use Coal
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA rock burned for fuel, or a burning ember from a fire.
Common pairings
lump of coal
burning coals
coal mine
Word Forms
coaled past tense, coals plural, coals singular, coalest superlative
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Etymology
From Old English col, from a very old Germanic word ultimately meaning "to burn" or "to shine".