char
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char¹
- /t͡ʃɑː/ UK
- [t͡ʃaː] UK
- /t͡ʃɑɹ/ US
- [t͡ʃɑɹ] US
- [t͡ʃɑ˞] US
- /t͡ʃaɹ/ US
- [t͡ʃaɹ] US
- [t͡ʃa˞] US
Rhymes with -ɑː(ɹ)
Where it comes from
Back-formation from charcoal.
verb chars · charring · charred · chewre
- To burn something to charcoal; to be burnt to charcoal. I charred the wood.
- To burn (something) severely, so as to blacken it. The fire charred her down to the bone.
- To burn (something) slightly or superficially so as to affect colour. The chef charred the scallops just right.
noun chars · char · chewre
-
A charred substance.
Similar: charcoal
char²
- /t͡ʃɑː/ UK
- /t͡ʃɑɹ/ US
- [t͡ʃɑɹ] US
- [t͡ʃɑ˞] US
Rhymes with -ɑː(ɹ)
Where it comes from
Unknown, perhaps from Celtic, such as Irish ceara (“fiery red”) (found in personal names). Or, perhaps borrowed from Middle Low German schar (“flounder, dab”), from Old Saxon skard, from Proto-Germanic *skardaz, related to *skeraną (“to cut”), referring to its shape. If so, related to shard.
noun chars · char · charr
- Any of the several species of fishes of the genus Salvelinus. Among other native delicacies, they give you fresh char.
char³
- /t͡ʃɑː/ UK
- /t͡ʃɑɹ/ US
- [t͡ʃɑɹ] US
- [t͡ʃɑ˞] US
Rhymes with -ɑː(ɹ)
Where it comes from
From Middle English cherre (“odd job”), from Old English ċierr (“a turn, change, time, occasion, affair, business”), from ċierran (“to turn, change, turn oneself, go, come, proceed, turn back, return, regard, translate, persuade, convert, be converted, agree to, submit, make to submit, reduce”), from Proto-Germanic *karzijaną (“to turn”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *gers- (“to bend, turn”).
Cognate with Dutch keer (“a time, turn, occasion”), German Kehre (“a turn, bight, bend”) and kehren (“to sweep”) or umkehren (“to return or reverse”). More at chore, ajar.
noun chars · chare
- A time; a turn or occasion.
- A turn of work; a labour or item of business.
- An odd job, a chore or piece of housework. When thou hast done this chare, I’ll give thee leave to play till doomsday.
- A charlady, a woman employed to do housework; cleaning lady. I had to scrub the kitchen today, because the char couldn't come.
Similar: charlady, charwoman, cleaning lady, cleaning woman
verb chars · charing · charring · chared · charred
- To turn, especially away or aside.
- To work, especially to do housework; to work by the day, without being a regularly hired servant. She explained that she was the commissionaire's wife, who did the charing, and I gave her the order for the coffee.
- To perform; to do; to finish. All's chared when he is gone.
- To work or hew (stone, etc.)
char⁴
- /ˈkæɹ/ UK
- /t͡ʃɑː/ UK
- /kɛə/ UK
- /kɑː/ UK
- /t͡ʃɑɹ/ US
- /kɛɹ/ US
- /kɑɹ/ US
Rhymes with -ɑː(ɹ)
Where it comes from
Clipping of character. Used as the name of a data type in some programming languages, including notably C.
noun chars
- A character (text element such as a letter or symbol). The unit is an 80-column, 30 char. /sec dot matrix printer which uses a 5 by 7 font.
- A character (being involved in the action of a story). In fact, when I somewhat lack inspiration, I tend to convert my characters according to the rules of a game which universe is close enough (I did it for some of the chars in my WIP, taking the Cyberpunk 2020 rulebook).
char⁵
Where it comes from
Non-rhotic spelling of cha.
noun
- Alternative form of cha (“tea”). “’Ullo, cock,” it said, amiably enough. “So you’ve come to, ’ave yer? ’Ang on a bit, an’ I’ll get you a cup o’ char.” And it vanished again.
Char⁶
Where it comes from
Shortening (of personal names).
proper noun
- A nickname for Charlotte
- A nickname for Charlene
- A short river in west Dorset, England; in full, the River Char.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: coal, scorch, blacken, charwoman, cleaning lady, woman, cleaning woman, tar, carbonize, crap, burn, tank, table, float, lobby, bull
noun
Similar: charlady, charwoman, cleaning lady, cleaning woman
Translations
Every language
verb to burn something to charcoal
| Español | carbonizar |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 烧焦 shāojiāo |
| Português | carbonizar |
| Français | carboniser |
| Deutsch | ankohlen, verkohlen |
| Italiano | carbonizzare |
| Ελληνικά | καρβουνιάζω karvouniázo |
| Русский | обу́гливать obúglivatʹ, обу́глить obúglitʹ |
verb to burn slightly
| Português | chamuscar |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | ansengen, versengen |
| Русский | чернить černitʹ, копти́ть koptítʹ, обжигать obžigatʹ, опалять opaljatʹ |
noun charred substance
| Español | tostón |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | Kohle |
| Ελληνικά | άνθρακας ánthrakas, κάρβουνο kárvouno |
| Русский | у́голь úgolʹ |
noun fish
| Español | salvelino |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 岩魚 iwana |
| 中文 | 紅點鮭 /红点鲑 hóngdiǎnguī |
| Français | omble |
| Deutsch | Saibling |
| Italiano | salmerino |
| Русский | ручьева́я форе́ль ručʹjevája forélʹ, форе́ль forélʹ, пестру́шка pestrúška |
noun cleaning woman
| Français | femme de ménage, bonne |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | Putzfrau |
| Italiano | domestica |
| Ελληνικά | παραδουλεύτρα paradouléftra, καθαρίστρια katharístria |
| Русский | убо́рщица ubórščica |
Talk about this word "char." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/char. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. char. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/char "char." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/char.Cite this
@misc{char_2026,
title = {char},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/char},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
