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carbon

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: Carbon, carbón, càrbon, and carbôn

English

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Chemical element
C
Previous: boron (B)
Next: nitrogen (N)

Alternative forms

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Etymology

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    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.

    Pronunciation

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    Noun

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    carbon (countable and uncountable, plural carbons)

    2. (uncountable) The chemical element (symbol C) with an atomic number of 6. It can be found in pure form for example as graphite, a black, shiny and very soft material, or diamond, a colourless, transparent, crystalline solid and the hardest known material.
      All life as we know it has carbon as the backbone of many of its molecules; carbon’s tetravalence gives it special importance in biochemical molecular bonds.
      • 2006, Michael Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma, The Penguin Press, →ISBN, page 20:
        Carbon is the most common element in our bodies—indeed, in all living things on earth.
      • 2024 April 21, Laura Paddison, “Can this ocean-based carbon plant help save the world? Some scientists are raising red flags”, in CNN‎[1]:
        Fans will pump air through the alkaline stream, which causes carbon dioxide to form solid calcium carbonate, the material from which seashells are formed, which will look like a fine sand, as well as dissolved bicarbonate.
    3. (countable) An atom of this element, in reference to a molecule containing it.
      A methane molecule is made up of a single carbon with four hydrogens.
    4. (countable, informal) A sheet of carbon paper.
      • 1939, Raymond Chandler, The Big Sleep, Penguin, published 2011, page 51:
        He stepped back and opened his bag and took out a printed pad of D.O.A. forms and began to write over a carbon.
    5. (countable, informal) A carbon copy.
      Please provide me with a carbon of your form.
      Press firmly: you are making a carbon.
    6. A fossil fuel that is made of impure carbon such as coal or charcoal.
    7. Soot.
      Every morning she cleaned the carbon from the lamp chimneys.
      1. Especially, hardened soot as a caked-on deposit.
        When you overhaul an engine, you need to remove the carbon from around the valve seats. The carbon buildup can be extensive.
    8. (ecology, climate change, uncountable) Ellipsis of carbon dioxide.
      carbon neutral
      carbon capture
    9. A carbon rod or pencil used in an arc lamp.
      • 1892, English Mechanic and World of Science, page 444:
        To trim an arc lamp, first remove the old carbons and carefully and thoroughly wipe the carbon rods, holders, &c. with a clean, dry rag.
    10. A plate or piece of carbon used as one of the elements of a voltaic battery.
    11. (informal) Ellipsis of carbon fiber (reinforced polymer).
      carbon bike frame

    Hyponyms

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    Hyponyms of carbon

    Derived terms

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    Descendants

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    • → Bengali: কার্বন (karbon)
    • → Malay: karbon
    • → Navajo: káábin
    • → Welsh: carbon

    Translations

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    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
    Translations to be checked

    Verb

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    carbon (third-person singular simple present carbons, present participle carboning, simple past and past participle carboned)

    1. (Internet, transitive, uncommon) To send a carbon copy of an email message to.
      Synonyms: cc, copy
      When I send it, I’ll carbon Julia so she’s aware.

    See also

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    carbon related terms

    Further reading

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    Anagrams

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    Danish

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    Danish Wikipedia has an article on:
    Wikipedia da
    Chemical element
    C
    Previous: bor (B)
    Next: kvælstof (N)

    Alternative forms

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    • karbon (rare, but now official)

    Pronunciation

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    Noun

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    carbon n (singular definite carbonet, not used in plural form)

    1. (chemistry) carbon
      Synonym: kulstof

    Usage notes

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    While kul (“coal”) is never used to refer to the element of carbon, it may sometimes replace it in names of derivations, such as kuldioxid/carbondioxid, kulsyre, kulilte/carbonmonoxid.

    Declension

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    Declension of carbon
    neuter
    gender     		singular
    indefinite definite
    nominative carbon carbonet
    genitive carbons carbonets

    Further reading

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    Dutch

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    Pronunciation

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    • IPA(key): /kɑrˈbɔn/
    • Hyphenation: car‧bon
    • Rhymes: -ɔn

    Etymology 1

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    Probably borrowed from French carbone, ultimately from Latin carbō. The sense “fibre-reinforced polymer” derived from English carbon.

    Noun

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    carbon n (uncountable, diminutive carbonnetje n)

    1. fibre-reinforced polymer
    2. black diamond

    Etymology 2

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    From carbonpapier.

    Noun

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    carbon n (uncountable, diminutive carbonnetje n)

    1. carbon paper

    Romanian

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     carbon on Romanian Wikipedia
    Chemical element
    C
    Previous: bor (B)
    Next: azot (N)

    Etymology

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    Borrowed from French carbone, coined by Lavoisier, from Latin carbō, carbōnem (“charcoal, coal”), from Proto-Indo-European *ker- (“to burn”). Doublet of cărbune.

    Pronunciation

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    • IPA(key): /karˈbon/
    • Hyphenation: car‧bon

    Noun

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    carbon n (uncountable)

    1. carbon (chemical element)

    Declension

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    singular only indefinite definite
    nominative-accusative carbon carbonul
    genitive-dative carbon carbonului
    vocative carbonule

    Further reading

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    Scottish Gaelic

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    Alternative forms

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    Etymology

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    From Latin carbō, carbōnem.

    Noun

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    carbon m (genitive singular carboin, no plural)

    1. carbon (element)
      Synonym: gualan

    Derived terms

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    Mutation

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    Mutation of carbon
    radical lenition
    carbon charbon

    Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Scottish Gaelic.
    All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

    Welsh

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    Welsh Wikipedia has an article on:
    Wikipedia cy

    Etymology

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    Chemical element
    C
    Previous: boron (B)
    Next: nitrogen (N)

    Borrowed from English carbon, from French carbone from Latin carbō, carbōnem (“charcoal, coal”), from Proto-Indo-European *kerh₃- (“to burn”).

    Pronunciation

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    Noun

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    carbon m (plural carbonau)

    1. carbon
      Synonym: (obsolete) ulyfai

    Derived terms

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    Mutation

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    Mutated forms of carbon
    radical soft nasal aspirate
    carbon garbon ngharbon charbon

    Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Welsh.
    All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

    Further reading

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    • R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “carbon”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies
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