Real Dictionary

charcoal
uncountable noun: Charcoal is a black substance obtained by burning wood without much air. It can be burned as a fuel, and small sticks of it are used for drawing with.

charcoal in American English
a porous, amorphous form of carbon produced by destructive distillation of wood or other organic matter and used for decolorizing sugar and food, in filters, as a gas absorbent, fuel, etc.
to write or draw with charcoal
intransitive verb: to cook food over charcoal, esp. on a grill
noun: the carbonaceous material obtained by heating wood or other organic substances in the absence of air
transitive verb: to blacken, write, or draw with charcoal

charcoal in British English
noun: a black amorphous form of carbon made by heating wood or other organic matter in the absence of air: used as a fuel, in smelting metal ores, in explosives, and as an absorbent