Cannel Coal
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A corruption of candle coal, so called from the bright flame unmixed with smoke, which this highly bituminous coal yields in combustion.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Cannel Coal” mean?
A corruption of candle coal, so called from the bright flame unmixed with smoke, which this highly bituminous coal yields in combustion.
Is “Cannel Coal” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.