coal gas: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowTechnical/Historical
Quick answer
What does “coal gas” mean?
A flammable gas produced by heating coal in the absence of air.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A flammable gas produced by heating coal in the absence of air.
Historically, an important manufactured gas used for heating, lighting, and industrial processes before the widespread adoption of natural gas.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term and its historical context are identical in both varieties. British English may have a stronger historical association due to the extensive use of 'town gas' (a form of coal gas) well into the 20th century.
Connotations
Connotes industrialization, the 19th and early-to-mid 20th centuries, and old infrastructure. It may also evoke negative connotations of pollution and the dangers of gas leaks (which often contained carbon monoxide).
Frequency
Extremely rare in modern everyday speech. Likely to appear only in historical, engineering, or industrial contexts. Slightly more frequent in British historical texts due to its longer and more widespread domestic use there.
Grammar
How to Use “coal gas” in a Sentence
The factory produced coal gas.The city was lit by coal gas.Coal gas was a common fuel.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “coal gas” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The old plant used to coal-gas the entire borough.
- The process of coal-gassing was both innovative and hazardous.
American English
- The city council decided to coal-gas the main street for lighting.
- Coal-gassing operations were phased out in the 1950s.
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverbial form]
American English
- [No standard adverbial form]
adjective
British English
- The coal-gas industry declined rapidly.
- They discovered a coal-gas main under the street.
American English
- The coal-gas era ended with pipeline construction.
- A coal-gas explosion damaged the historic district.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare; might appear in historical analyses of energy companies or infrastructure.
Academic
Used in historical, industrial archaeology, and engineering texts discussing pre-natural gas energy systems.
Everyday
Virtually never used in modern conversation unless discussing very specific historical topics.
Technical
Used in industrial history, chemical engineering, and heritage contexts to describe the specific gasification process and its products.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “coal gas”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “coal gas”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “coal gas”
- Confusing 'coal gas' with 'natural gas' or 'coalbed methane'. Using it in a modern context (e.g., 'My house uses coal gas').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
For general heating and lighting, no. It was almost entirely replaced by natural gas and electricity in the mid-to-late 20th century. Some specialized industrial processes may still use similar manufactured gases.
It was highly flammable and explosive. More dangerously, it often contained high levels of carbon monoxide, a poisonous, odourless gas that could cause asphyxiation if it leaked.
Coal gas is manufactured by heating coal. Natural gas is a fossil fuel extracted directly from underground reserves. They have different chemical compositions; natural gas is primarily methane, while coal gas contained hydrogen, carbon monoxide, methane, and other volatiles.
Because coal gas was manufactured at local 'gasworks' and piped through a municipal network to supply an entire town or city for domestic and street lighting. 'Town gas' emphasizes this distribution system.
A flammable gas produced by heating coal in the absence of air.
Coal gas is usually technical/historical in register.
Coal gas: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkəʊl ˌɡæs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkoʊl ˌɡæs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms directly featuring 'coal gas'. However, related idiom:] 'Don't blow the gas main' (meaning: don't cause a major problem).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the OLD COAL stove that released a GAS you could light. Coal Gas = the gas from old coal processing.
Conceptual Metaphor
INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS IS LIGHT (e.g., 'The city was illuminated by coal gas.')
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary modern context for the term 'coal gas'?