charcoal zoqâl (#) Fr.: charbon de bois A black amorphous substance produced by heating wood or other natural organic matter in the absence of air. It is used as a fuel. M.E. charcole, maybe from cherre "char" + cole, → coal. Zoqâl "live coal, charcoal," variant sokâr; Sogd. askâr; Pashto skor-; Khotanese skara, probably ultimately from Proto-Ir. *uz-gar-, from *uz- "out," → ex-, + *gar "to heat, kindle fire, cook;" cf. Tabari kalə "furnace," kəlen "ash;" Laki koira; Kurd. kulan, kulandan "to cook;" related to garm "warm;" cf. Skt. ghar- "to burn," PIE root *gwher- "to warm, be warm," → warm. |