Bistered is a term which describes the blackening of a substance, often due to exposure to heat or fire. There are several other words that can be used interchangeably with bistered, including charred, singed, scorched and blackened. These words describe the same process of burning and blackening, but can convey slightly different meanings depending on the context in which they are used. In literature, for example, charred might be used to describe the remains of a burnt down building, while scorched might be used to describe grass or fields damaged by a wildfire. Blackened is often used to describe food that has been cooked to a crisp, while singed more often describes hair or fabric that has been burned slightly.