concrete

[ kon-kreet, kong-, kon-kreet, kong- kon-kreet, kong- ]

noun

1. an artificial, stonelike material used for various structural purposes, made by mixing cement and various aggregates, as sand, pebbles, gravel, or shale, with water and allowing the mixture to harden. Compare reinforced concrete.
2. any of various artificial building or paving materials, as those containing tar.
3. an idea, observation, term, or word having an actual or existent thing or instance as its referent, as opposed to its being abstract:

   Psychology is all about feelings and behavior, but I’m more interested in the concrete—and that’s why I became a surgeon.

4. a mass formed by coalescence or concretion of particles of matter.

adjective

1. constituting an actual thing or instance; real:

   concrete proof of his sincerity.

   Synonyms: substantial, factual, solid

   Antonyms: abstract

2. relating to or concerned with realities or actual instances rather than abstractions; particular ( general ):

   concrete ideas.

   Antonyms: abstract

3. representing or applied to an actual substance or thing, as opposed to an abstract quality:

   The words “cat,” “water,” and “teacher” are concrete, whereas the words “truth,” “excellence,” and “adulthood” are abstract.

4. made of concrete:

   a concrete pavement;

   concrete lawn ornaments.

5. formed by coalescence of separate particles into a mass; united in a coagulated, condensed, or solid mass or state.

verb (used with object)

, con·cret·ed, con·cret·ing.

1. to treat or lay with concrete:

   to concrete a sidewalk.

2. to form into a mass by coalescence of particles; render solid:

   Of these two semiliquid solutions, which one do you think can be more easily concreted?

3. to make real, tangible, or particular.

verb (used without object)

, con·cret·ed, con·cret·ing.

1. to coalesce into a mass; become solid; harden:

   Has it started to concrete?

2. to use or apply concrete:

   We can’t begin concreting until all the forms have been installed.

concrete

/ ˈkɒnkriːt /

noun

1. 1. a construction material made of a mixture of cement, sand, stone, and water that hardens to a stonelike mass
   2. ( as modifier )

      a concrete slab

2. physics a rigid mass formed by the coalescence of separate particles

adjective

1. relating to a particular instance or object; specific as opposed to general

   a concrete example

2. 1. relating to or characteristic of things capable of being perceived by the senses, as opposed to abstractions
   2. ( as noun )

      the concrete

3. formed by the coalescence of particles; condensed; solid

verb

1. tr to construct in or cover with concrete
2. kənˈkriːt to become or cause to become solid; coalesce

Derived Forms

• conˈcretive, adjective
• ˈconcreteness, noun
• ˈconcretely, adverb
• conˈcretively, adverb

Other Words From

• con·crete·ly adverb
• con·crete·ness noun
• con·cre·tive adjective
• con·cre·tive·ly adverb
• un·con·crete adjective
• un·con·crete·ly adverb
• un·con·cret·ed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of concrete¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin concrētus (past participle of concrēscere “to coalesce, condense”), equivalent to con- con- + crē(scere) “to grow, increase” + -tus past participle suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of concrete¹

C14: from Latin concrētus grown together, hardened, from concrēscere; see concrescence

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. set / cast in concrete. stone ( def 33 ).

Example Sentences

In this reporting and learning system at the Medical Center- University of Freiburg, critical situations in patient care can be reported without sanctions and their learning potential translated into concrete solutions for improving patient safety.

From Science Daily

“Therefore we must state — without concrete knowledge of who was responsible — that this was a hybrid action,” he said.

From New York Times

All that is left of the residential building in Beit Lahia is a pile of rubble, with broken concrete and jagged shards of twisted metal sticking out from the ruins.

From BBC

"The power of mathematics is that we can devise models that reproduce experimentally observed data and make concrete predictions about what will happen next," Karamched said.

From Science Daily

And no matter if the sneakers look as if they’re made of concrete or the jerseys of lead, those teams still try to win.

From Los Angeles Times