'coal-using' originates from English, specifically the compound of 'coal' and the present participle 'using', where 'coal' originally meant 'coal' or 'charcoal' and 'use/using' came from the verb 'use' meaning 'to employ'.

'coal' changed from the Old English word 'col' into the modern English 'coal', and 'use' came from Latin 'uti' via Old French 'user' and Middle English 'usen', later forming present participle 'using'; these elements combined in modern English to form the compound adjective 'coal-using'.

Initially, 'coal' primarily meant 'charcoal' and 'use' meant 'to employ'; over time these retained related senses and the compound now specifically denotes 'using coal' or 'powered by coal'.