1. A soft, dark gray or black form of carbon that occurs naturally as a mineral and is also produced industrially.
2. Etymology: from German Graphit, "black lead"; coined in 1789 by German mineralogist Abraham Gottlob Werner (1750-1817) from Greek graphein "to write"; so called because it was used for pencils.

Mixed with clay, graphite is the "lead" in pencils.

The use of a material composed of nanosized fibers of graphite to absorb and to store hydrogen; a proposed technology for hydrogen-powered vehicles.

A description of a particular type of nuclear reactor distinguished by its use of graphite instead of water as the moderator.