noun
carbon
KAH-buhn
noun
1
A chemical element (symbol C) found in all living things and in materials like coal, diamond, and graphite.
"Diamonds and pencil lead are both made almost entirely of carbon."
"Companies are being pushed to cut their carbon emissions."
How to Use Carbon
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA basic chemical element that's the building block of life and of fuels like coal and oil.
Common pairings
carbon emissions
carbon footprint
carbon dioxide
Word Forms
carboned past tense, Carbons plural, carbons singular
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Diamonds and pencil lead are both made almost entirely of _____.
Etymology
Coined by the chemist Antoine Lavoisier from Latin carbo, "charcoal" or "coal."