graphite
noun /ˈɡræfaɪt/
/ˈɡræfaɪt/
[uncountable]- a soft black mineral that is a form of carbon. Graphite is used to make pencils, to lubricate machines and in nuclear reactors.Topics Physics and chemistryc1Oxford Collocations DictionaryGraphite is used before these nouns:
- pencil
- racket
Word Originlate 18th cent.: coined in German (Graphit), from Greek graphein ‘write’ (because of its use as pencil “lead”).