noun / adjective
carbon
KAR-bun/ˈkɑːrbən/
The chemical element central to organic compounds.
Graphite and diamond are different forms of the element carbon.
Etymology
Carbon takes its name from the Latin word for charcoal. A familiar material thus supplied the name for the element also occurring as diamond and graphite.
In context
Why all this fuss over an element that is totally carbon, just like the graphite you find in a pencil? Because diamonds have been treasured by mankind for over 3,000 years
More examples
- Organic molecules contain carbon atoms.
- The city plans to reduce its carbon emissions.
- The factory measures its annual carbon footprint.
Similar words
- carbon dioxide
- A compound containing carbon and oxygen, not the element itself.
- charcoal
- A carbon-rich material rather than necessarily a pure element.