Coom

/kuːm/ noun

Definition

Coal dust or slack coal, the fine particles of coal that result from mining or processing.

Etymology

Of uncertain origin, possibly from Welsh cwm or related to dialectal English terms for coal waste. It appears primarily in British mining vocabulary and regional dialects.

Kelly Says

Mining communities developed their own specialized vocabulary for different types of coal waste—'coom' was the everyday word miners used that outsiders probably never heard, showing how technical jargon emerges from specific occupations.

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