charcoal | Definition, Properties, Uses, amp; Facts | Britannica
Charcoal, impure form of graphitic carbon, obtained as a residue when carbonaceous material is partially burned, or heated with limited access of air. Coke, carbon black, and soot may be regarded as forms of charcoal; other forms often are designated by the name of the materials, such as wood, blood, bone, and so on, from which they are derived.