burn coal

verb

Of a nonblack person, usually a woman, to seek sexual relationships with black people, usually men.

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Meanings

verbburn coal (third-person singular simple present burns coal, present participle burning coal, simple past and past participle burned coal or burnt coal)

present singular third person burns coal · participle present burning coal · participle past burned coal · past burned coal · participle past burnt coal · past burnt coal · alternative burn the coal

  1. derogatoryoffensiveslangOf a nonblack person, usually a woman, to seek sexual relationships with black people, usually men.

    "Not for you, nigger," she spat at him. "When I left you I was through burning coal."

    1946, Esquire, volume 25, page 158
  2. literallyTo burn coal, usually for heat.

Origin

First use appears c. 1946. See cite below.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

burn coal. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/burn%20coal

MLA

“burn coal.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/burn%20coal. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “burn coal,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/burn%20coal.

Source: burn coal on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.