carbon

name

1. A surname.
2. A place name:
3. A place name:
4. A place name:
5. A place name:
6. A place name:

noun

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.

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.

   “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.”

   “Carbon is the most common element in our bodies—indeed, in all living things on earth.”

2. An atom of this element, in reference to a molecule containing it.

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

3. A sheet of carbon paper.

   “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.”

4. A carbon copy.

   “Please provide me with a carbon of your form.”

   “Press firmly: you are making a carbon.”

5. A fossil fuel that is made of impure carbon such as coal or charcoal.
6. Soot.

   “Every morning she cleaned the carbon from the lamp chimneys.”

7. Soot.

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

8. Ellipsis of carbon dioxide.

   “carbon neutral”

   “carbon capture”

9. A carbon rod or pencil used in an arc lamp.

   “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.”

10. A plate or piece of carbon used as one of the elements of a voltaic battery.
11. Ellipsis of carbon fiber (reinforced polymer).

    “carbon bike frame”

verb

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.

1. To send a carbon copy of an email message to.

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