# carbon

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈkɑɹ.bən/ · frequency rank #2,717

## Definitions
1. 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.
2. An atom of this element, in reference to a molecule containing it.
3. A sheet of carbon paper.
4. A carbon copy.
5. A fossil fuel that is made of impure carbon such as coal or charcoal.
6. Soot.
7. Soot.
8. Ellipsis of carbon dioxide.
9. A carbon rod or pencil used in an arc lamp.
10. A plate or piece of carbon used as one of the elements of a voltaic battery.
11. Ellipsis of carbon fiber (reinforced polymer).

## Etymology
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.

## Easily confused with
- **Caro** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carbon-vs-caro)
- **cargo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carbon-vs-cargo)
- **carol** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carbon-vs-carol)
- **Carlo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carbon-vs-carlo)
- **carbs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carbon-vs-carbs)
- **caron** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carbon-vs-caron)
- **Carlos** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carbon-vs-carlos)
- **Carson** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carbon-vs-carson)
- **Carmen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carbon-vs-carmen)
- **carrot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carbon-vs-carrot)
- **Corbyn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carbon-vs-corbyn)
- **carton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carbon-vs-carton)
- **Corbin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carbon-vs-corbin)
- **cordon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carbon-vs-cordon)
- **carlin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carbon-vs-carlin)
- **cation** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carbon-vs-cation)
- **cartoon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carbon-vs-cartoon)
- **Carlton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carbon-vs-carlton)
- **Carlson** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carbon-vs-carlson)
- **caribou** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carbon-vs-caribou)

## Common misspellings (9)
`acrbon`, `cabron`, `carbbon`, `carbno`, `carbonn`, `carobn`, `carrbon`, `ccarbon`, `crabon`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/carbon