black coal

black coal (countable and uncountable, plural black coals)

1. Synonym of soft coal.
2. high-quality coal
   • 1919, Walter Hines Page, Arthur Wilson Page, The World's work, Volume 38:

     The drop in 1918 was also a fall in the production of black coal. In other words he losses were in the best coal, the gains in the poorer coal

3. (nontechnical) coal

When used in comparison to brown coal or other grades of coal, one of the specific definitions is likely intended. When used in comparison to white coal, or in a non-technical sense, it may mean any type of coal.

• coal black