1. to convert into carbon or charcoal by burning or heating
Usage: British spelling; American spelling is 'carbonize'; commonly used in chemistry and materials science
2. to coat or impregnate with carbon
Usage: technical usage in manufacturing and engineering

Examples

• The intense heat will carbonise the wood into ash.
• Steel is often carbonised to increase its hardness.
• When you leave food in the oven too long, it carbonises and becomes inedible.
• The laboratory procedure carbonises organic compounds at high temperatures.
• The charred remains showed that the material had been carbonised in the fire.