Carbon

/ˈkɑɹ.bən/ name, noun, verb, slang

name, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level

Meaning at a glance

  • Primary sense: The chemical element (symbol C) with an atomic number of 6. It can be found in pure form for example as graphite, a black, shiny and very soft material, or diamond, a colourless, transparent, crystalline solid and the hardest known material.
  • Grammar: carbon is listed as name, noun, verb, slang.
  • Nearest alternatives: alabaster, alcohol, apograph, ash.
  • Useful contrasts: carbon-intensive, high-carbon, inorganic.
  • Usage evidence: That would lead to the production of more carbon dioxide, the main gas responsible for global warming.

How to use "carbon"

  1. Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
  2. Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "carbon" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
  3. Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.

Meaning check

  • Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
  • Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
  • Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
  • Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?

Source and review context

This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "carbon" in a final draft.

If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.

Before you rely on this definition

Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "carbon" as the right word for your sentence.

If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "carbon" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.

Compare nearby meanings

  • Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
  • Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
  • Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
  • Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.

Definition decision workflow

1. Identify the role

Check whether "carbon" is acting as name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.

2. Test the nearest option

Compare it with "alabaster" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.

3. Confirm with context

Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.

Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.

Final meaning check

Before publishing a sentence with "carbon", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.

When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    The chemical element (symbol C) with an atomic number of 6. It can be found in pure form for example as graphite, a black, shiny and very soft material, or diamond, a colourless, transparent, crystalline solid and the hardest known material. uncountable

    "All life as we know it has carbon as the backbone of many of its molecules; carbon’s tetravalence gives it special importance in biochemical molecular bonds."

  2. 2
    a copy made with carbon paper wordnet
  3. 3
    An atom of this element, in reference to a molecule containing it. countable

    "A methane molecule is made up of a single carbon with four hydrogens."

  4. 4
    an abundant nonmetallic tetravalent element occurring in three allotropic forms: amorphous carbon and graphite and diamond; occurs in all organic compounds wordnet
  5. 5
    A sheet of carbon paper. countable, informal

    "He stepped back and opened his bag and took out a printed pad of D.O.A. forms and began to write over a carbon."

Show 9 more definitions
  1. 6
    a thin paper coated on one side with a dark waxy substance (often containing carbon); used to transfer characters from the original to an under sheet of paper wordnet
  2. 7
    A carbon copy. countable, informal

    "Please provide me with a carbon of your form."

  3. 8
    A fossil fuel that is made of impure carbon such as coal or charcoal. countable, uncountable
  4. 9
    Soot. countable, uncountable

    "Every morning she cleaned the carbon from the lamp chimneys."

  5. 10
    Soot.; Especially, hardened soot as a caked-on deposit. countable, uncountable

    "When you overhaul an engine, you need to remove the carbon from around the valve seats. The carbon buildup can be extensive."

  6. 11
    Ellipsis of carbon dioxide. abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis, uncountable

    "carbon neutral"

  7. 12
    A carbon rod or pencil used in an arc lamp. countable, uncountable

    "To trim an arc lamp, first remove the old carbons and carefully and thoroughly wipe the carbon rods, holders, &c. with a clean, dry rag."

  8. 13
    A plate or piece of carbon used as one of the elements of a voltaic battery. countable, uncountable
  9. 14
    Ellipsis of carbon fiber (reinforced polymer). abbreviation, alt-of, countable, ellipsis, informal, uncountable

    "carbon bike frame"

Verb
  1. 1
    To send a carbon copy of an email message to. Internet, transitive, uncommon

    "When I send it, I’ll carbon Julia so she’s aware."

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A surname. countable, uncountable
  2. 2
    A place name:; A village in Kneehill County, Alberta, Canada. countable, uncountable
  3. 3
    A place name:; A number of places in the United States:; A town in Van Buren Township, Clay County, Indiana. countable, uncountable
  4. 4
    A place name:; A number of places in the United States:; A minor city and coal town in Douglas Township, Adams County, Iowa. countable, uncountable
  5. 5
    A place name:; A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community and coal town in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. countable, uncountable
Show 1 more definition
  1. 6
    A place name:; A number of places in the United States:; A town in Eastland County, Texas. countable, uncountable

Antonyms

Example

"That would lead to the production of more carbon dioxide, the main gas responsible for global warming."

Common questions

What does "carbon" mean?

The chemical element (symbol C) with an atomic number of 6. It can be found in pure form for example as graphite, a black, shiny and very soft material, or diamond, a colourless, transparent, crystalline solid and the hardest known material.

What is a synonym for "carbon"?

Common synonyms include: alabaster, alcohol, apograph, ash, ashes, asphalt.

How do you use "carbon" in a sentence?

That would lead to the production of more carbon dioxide, the main gas responsible for global warming.

How do you pronounce "carbon"?

Pronounced /ˈkɑɹ.bən/.

Etymology

Borrowed from French carbone, coined by Antoine Lavoisier, from Latin carbō, carbōnem (“charcoal, coal”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *kerh₃- (“to burn”). By surface analysis, carbo- + -on.

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