Anthracites

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. A type of hard, high-grade coal that burns with a short, blue flame and is known for its high carbon content and heating efficiency
2. A carbon-rich fossil fuel valued for its high heat output and low soot production, often used in industrial and residential heating
3. A variety of coal characterized by its shiny appearance and high fixed carbon content, making it a preferred energy source in certain applications

Etymology: "Anthracites" is the plural of "anthracite," the hard, high-grade coal that burns with little smoke. The noun descends from ancient Greek, where "anthrax" meant charcoal, and "anthrakitis" was a name for a particular kind of coal. The two words share a root, which is why the coal's name sounds so close to that of the disease, though the disease name comes from the same charcoal sense only through its charred, blackened appearance. The English form reached the language through Latin, which took the Greek term over and kept its sense of coal. The ending "-ite" is the familiar suffix used for minerals and rocks, so the word reads as a mineral name even though its roots lie in the Greek word for a burnt, dark material. The plural "anthracites" simply refers to several varieties or several pieces of this coal.