Soot

/sʊt/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A black powdery or flaky substance produced by the incomplete burning of organic matter, primarily found as a residue in chimneys or on surfaces.

After a long winter of using the fireplace, the chimney was lined with soot.

The carbonaceous material that is a byproduct of combustion, often found in the atmosphere as pollution.

The city was grappling with air quality issues due to the high levels of soot from vehicle emissions.

A dark or dull black color.

The artist used a soot-like pigment to create the dark areas in the painting.

Middle English 'sote', from Old English 'sōta', related to the act of soot-forming.

sweeping the soot

to clean or remove the dirt and grime, especially from a fireplace or chimney.

smoke

the visible vapor and gases given off by burning or smoldering substances.

carbon

a chemical element found in soot and many organic compounds.

flame

the visible, gaseous part of a fire.

to mess up or dirty something.

Stop soot-ing up my new car with your dirty shoes!