asphalt
/ˈæsfælt/ noun, verb
Forms asphalts asphalting asphalted asphalte
- noun A sticky, black to brown and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid, composed almost entirely of bitumen with small mineral particles, that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits. “The mining of asphalt was big business in this area in the early twentieth century.”
- verb (transitive) To pave with asphalt.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Late Latin asphaltum, from Ancient Greek ἄσφαλτος (ásphaltos, “asphalt, bitumen”). Displaced native Old English eorþtyrewa (literally, "earth-tar").
Webster’s 1913
- noun Mineral pitch, Jews' pitch, or compact native bitumen. It is brittle, of a black or brown color and high luster on a surface of fracture; it melts and burns when heated, leaving no residue. It occurs on the surface and shores of the Dead Sea, which is therefore called Asphaltites, or the Asphaltic Lake. It is found also in many parts of Asia, Europe, and America. See Bitumen.
- noun A composition of bitumen, pitch, lime, and gravel, used for forming pavements, and as a water-proof cement for bridges, roofs, etc.; asphaltic cement. Artificial asphalt is prepared from coal tar, lime, sand, etc. Asphalt stone, Asphalt rock, a limestone found impregnated with asphalt.
- verb To cover with asphalt; as, to asphalt a roof; asphalted streets.
Etymology [Gr. asphalte.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “asphalt”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details