late 14c., "severe boil or carbuncle," from Latin anthrax "virulent ulcer," from Greek anthrax "charcoal, live coal," also "carbuncle," which is of unknown origin; probably [Beekes] from a pre-Greek language. The specific sense in reference to a malignant disease in sheep and cattle (and occasionally humans) is from 1876.

"coal made by subjecting wood to smothered combustion," mid-14c., charcole, from coal; the first element is either Old French charbon "charcoal," or [Middle English Compendium] Middle English charren "to turn, change" (from Old English cerran) + cole "coal," thus, "turned to coal."

"black as coal," mid-13c., from coal (n.) + black (adj.).

1630s, from coal (n.) + miner.

"thick, black, viscid liquid left by the distillation of gas from coal," 1785, from coal (n.) + tar (n.).

late 14c. (late 13c. as a surname), collere "charcoal maker and seller," agent noun from Middle English col (see coal). They were notorious for cheating their customers. Meaning "digger in a coal mine" is from 1590s. Sense of "coasting-vessel for hauling coal" is from 1620s.

also sea-coal, old name for "mineral coal, fossil coal" (as opposed to charcoal), late 13c., secol; earlier, in Old English, it meant "jet," which chiefly was found washed ashore by the sea. See sea + coal (n.). The coal perhaps was so called for its resemblance to jet, or because it was first dug from beds exposed by wave erosion. As it became the predominant type used, the prefix was dropped.