How to pronounce charcoal
Say it like CHAR-kohl. Charcoal has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (CHAR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce charcoal. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- CHAR
- kohl
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Charcoal pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- CHARSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- kohlGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of charcoal
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: CHAH-kohl.
What does charcoal mean?
- a carbonaceous material obtained by heating wood or other organic matter in the absence of air
- a stick of black carbon material used for drawing
- a very dark grey color
- draw, trace, or represent with charcoal
- of a very dark grey
Where does charcoal come from?
From Middle English charcole, from charren (“to change, turn”) + cole (“coal”), from Old English cierran (“to change, turn”) + col (“coal”).
Questions about saying charcoal
How do you pronounce charcoal?
Say CHAR-kohl. The American pronunciation is /ˈtʃɑrˌkoʊl/. In British English it is /ˈtʃɑːkəʊl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in charcoal?
Charcoal has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (CHAR). Broken into parts: CHAR · kohl.
Is charcoal pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈtʃɑːkəʊl/ (CHAH-kohl).