Meaning & use
bitumen
Last updated
A thick, black, sticky petroleum substance used in road surfacing and waterproofing.
See it in a sentence
Workers spread hot bitumen over the gravel before laying the new road surface.
Ancient builders used natural bitumen deposits to waterproof boats and structures.
A note on using this word
Common in British and Australian English for what Americans often call "asphalt," though the terms aren't perfectly interchangeable in technical use.
Words with a similar meaning
asphalttar
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