anthracite

IPA/ˈænθrəsaɪt/
KK[ˈænθrəsˌaɪt]IPA/ˈænθrəsaɪt/

anthracite — noun

1. a type of very hard coal that burns for a long time, gives off strong heat, and

1.nounB2
Definition

a type of very hard coal that burns for a long time, gives off strong heat, and releases almost no smoke

Example

Mateo heats his family home with anthracite because the fire burns longer than regular coal.

heats his family home with anthracite

Sanjay's grandfather worked in an anthracite mine for thirty years before it closed.

worked in an anthracite mine

Common collocations
  • anthracite mine
  • anthracite deposit
  • anthracite coal
  • burn anthracite
  • anthracite heating
Synonyms
  • hard coal

    the everyday term that people use instead of the technical name anthracite

  • stone coal

    an older, less common name that emphasises the rock-like hardness

Antonyms
  • bituminous coal

    the softer, more common type of coal that produces more smoke

  • soft coal

    the opposite in hardness and burning characteristics; gives off more smoke and flame

Grammar Patterns

anthracite as [uncountable]

Word family

  • anthracitic
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These three words name the main types of coal, listed from highest to lowest carbon content. Anthracite is the hardest and cleanest-burning — it produces strong heat with almost no smoke, which makes it ideal for home heating in places where air quality is a concern. Bituminous coal is softer, more common, and cheaper, but it gives off more smoke and a yellow flame; it is widely used in power plants and steel production. Lignite, sometimes called brown coal, is the softest and lowest in energy; it burns quickly and produces a lot of smoke and ash. For example, a household in Pennsylvania might burn anthracite in a stove, while a coal-fired power station in the Midwest burns bituminous coal, and a mine in Germany extracts lignite for electricity generation.

anthracite ↗bituminous coallignite

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • anthracite coal
  • anthracite mining
  • anthracite region
  • anthracite industry

Etymology

GreekLatinEnglish

Anthracite comes from the Greek word anthrakites, meaning 'a kind of coal,' which itself comes from anthrax ('coal, charcoal'). The term passed into Latin and then into English in the early 1800s, when geologists needed a precise name for the hardest, purest form of coal.