1. A type of coal that is rich in volatile matter and burns with a bright flame, historically used for making gas and candles.
Usage: Also called cannel coal.; Chiefly British and historical.

Examples

• Cannel coal was prized in the 19th century for its ability to produce bright light.
• The miners extracted cannel from the seams beneath the moorland.
• Before electric lighting, cannel was burned in lamps for its superior illumination.
• Cannel differs from bituminous coal in its higher hydrogen content.
• The factory used cannel to generate gas for street lamps.