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carbon

n.
US //ˈkɑɹbən// UK //kˈɑːbən// car·bon
  1. 1 chemical element (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Science

    a chemical element found in diamonds, coal, and all living things.

    the chemical element with atomic number 6, occurring in all organic compounds and in various allotropes such as graphite and diamond.

    Example

    All life on Earth is based on the element carbon.

    Example

    The unique ability of carbon to form stable bonds with many elements allows it to serve as the fundamental building block of complex organic molecules.

  2. 2 greenhouse gas emissions (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Science

    gases like carbon dioxide that are released into the air and cause global warming.

    used as a shorthand for carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gas emissions, particularly in the context of climate change and environmental policy.

    Example

    The government is trying to reduce the country's carbon footprint.

    Example

    International treaties aim to limit carbon output by incentivizing industries to transition toward renewable energy sources and more efficient manufacturing processes.
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  1. 3 carbon fiber (n.)
    C1 Advanced Informal

    a very strong, light material used to make things like bikes or car parts.

    a lightweight, high-strength material made of thin filaments of carbon, often used in aerospace and high-performance sporting goods.

    Example

    His new racing bike is made entirely of carbon.

    Example

    The aerospace engineer specified a carbon composite for the fuselage to maximize the aircraft's fuel efficiency without sacrificing structural integrity.
    • carbon fiber
  2. 4 carbon paper or copy (n.)
    C1 Advanced Archaic

    a special paper used to make a copy of something you write or type.

    a sheet of paper coated with a dark waxy pigment, used for making one or more copies of a document simultaneously with the original.

    Example

    He put a piece of carbon between the pages to make a duplicate.

    Example

    Before the advent of digital word processing and photocopiers, clerks relied on carbon paper to produce multiple copies of legal contracts.
Origin

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.

Word family
Idioms1 entry

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