"coal made by subjecting wood to smothered combustion," mid-14c., charcole, first element is either Old French charbon "charcoal," or, on the current theory, obsolete charren "to turn" (from Old English cerran) + cole "coal," thus, "to turn to coal."
characterise
characteristic
characterization
characterize
charade
charcoal
charcuterie
chard
Chardonnay
charette
charge