a fine charcoal pencil or stick made from the spindle tree
2.
a drawing done with such a pencil
3.
a dull black brittle form of carbon resembling charcoal, found in certain coals
Word origin
C19: from French: spindle tree or charcoal made from it, from Vulgar Latin fūsāgō (unattested) a spindle (generally made from the spindle tree), from Latin fūsus
fusain in American English
(ˈfjuˌzeɪn; fjuˈzeɪn)
noun
1.
a type of fine charcoal pencil prepared from the wood of the spindle tree
2.
a drawing made with this
3.
a type of brittle, porous, black bituminous coal having a silky luster and a fibrous structure
Word origin
Fr, orig., spindle tree < VL *fusago (gen. *fusaginis) < L fusus, a spindle