Considering its current definition (see below) and the wish to be politically correct, I wonder whether the word has come to acquire any racist overtone.
What is a coal miner hewer-Ask.com. Coal miner hewer is a person who hews or cuts the coal from its natural situation. The hewer is the actual coal-digger removing it from the coal face.
Word forms: plural coals. 1. uncountable noun. Coal is a hard black substance that is extracted from the ground and burned as fuel. Gas-fired electricity is cheaper than coal. Today, oil and natural gas have replaced coal and wood in most areas.