n. [ L. anthracites a kind of bloodstone; fr. Gr. &unr_; like coals, fr. 'a`nqrax, &unr_;, coal or charcoal. Cf. Anthrax. ] A hard, compact variety of mineral coal, of high luster, differing from bituminous coal in containing little or no bitumen, in consequence of which it burns with a nearly non luminous flame. The purer specimens consist almost wholly of carbon. Also called glance coal and blind coal. [ 1913 Webster ]