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Definition of kohl

kohl

/koʊl/
kohl
Plural:kohls
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kohl Lexical Profile

kohl Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A fine dark powder, traditionally made from crushed stibnite or galena, used widely in Middle Eastern, North African, and South Asian cultures as a cosmetic to darken the eyelids and eyelashes.

Example

"The museum exhibit featured ancient Egyptian alabaster jars that still contained traces of kohl and applicator sticks."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for kohl

Word Nuance & Usage

Do not confuse with its homophone 'coal', the combustible black sedimentary rock.

• Rhymes for kohl

• Nearby Words

kobuk
koel
koelreuteria
kohl
kohleria
kohlrabi
koi

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the late 18th century from Arabic 'kuhl', referring to a finely ground antimony or galena powder used as an eye cosmetic; the same Arabic root (with the definite article 'al-') also gave rise to the English word 'alcohol', which originally referred to a fine sublimated powder before shifting to distilled spirits.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Kohl. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/kohl
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