carbon
UK[ˈkɑːbən]US[ˈkɑːrbən]
n
A chemical element (symbol C) that is found in all living things, and in its pure forms as diamond, graphite, or charcoal.
n
A sheet of carbon paper, or a copy made using it.
Etymology
The word 'carbon' entered English in the late 18th century from the French 'carbone', which itself was derived from the Latin 'carbo, carbon-', meaning 'coal, charcoal, ember'. The Latin term is thought to originate from the Proto-Indo-European root ker-, meaning 'to burn, heat'. This etymological journey elegantly traces the element's identity from its most ancient and familiar form—the black, combustible material of charcoal and coal—to its modern scientific classification as the fundamental element of organic chemistry and life itself.
Analysis
The word 'carbon' is a simplex loanword from Latin. It cannot be meaningfully segmented into smaller morphemes based on its current English spelling.
Examples
Diamonds are a crystalline form of the element carbon.
Plants absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during photosynthesis.
He made a carbon copy of the letter for his records.