lignite

American

[lig-nahyt] / ˈlɪg naɪt /

noun

a soft coal, usually dark brown, often having a distinct woodlike texture, and intermediate in density and carbon content between peat and bituminous coal.

lignite British

/ lɪɡˈnɪtɪk, ˈlɪɡnaɪt /

noun

Also called: brown coal. a brown carbonaceous sedimentary rock with woody texture that consists of accumulated layers of partially decomposed vegetation: used as a fuel. Fixed carbon content: 46–60 per cent; calorific value: 1.28 × 10 ⁷ to 1.93 × 10 ⁷ J/kg (5500 to 8300 Btu/lb)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

lignite Scientific

/ lĭg′nīt′ /

A soft, brownish-black form of coal having more carbon than peat but less carbon than bituminous coal. Lignite is easy to mine but does not burn as well as other forms of coal. It is a greater polluter than bituminous coal because it has a higher sulphur content.
Compare anthracite bituminous coal

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

lignitic

adjective

Etymology

Origin of lignite

First recorded in 1800–10; lign- + -ite ¹

Vocabulary lists containing lignite

Eastern Europe - Middle School and High School

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But decades of lignite extraction has also affected the health of people in the region.

From Barron's • Dec. 27, 2025

Both of its coal-fired plants are ageing, outdated and run on lignite, the most polluting type of coal.

From Reuters • Nov. 17, 2023

Locals have held a four-year vigil in Akbelen forest to hold off logging that paves the way for a lignite mine near the village of Ikizkoy in Mugla province.

From Washington Times • Jul. 31, 2023

North Dakota has an abundance of lignite, a type of coal primarily used to generate electricity.

From New York Times • Apr. 9, 2023

The lignite could be used on land, but there is little demand for it, except for navigation.

From The Inhabitants of the Philippines by Sawyer, Frederic H.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023