tarmacadam

[ tahr-muh-kad-uhm ]

noun

1. a paving material consisting of coarse crushed stone covered with a mixture of tar and bitumen.

Word History and Origins

Origin of tarmacadam¹

First recorded in 1880–85; tar ¹ + macadam

Example Sentences

I find this impossible to grasp, even before they say you can feel the heat rising through the tarmacadam.

From The Guardian

Or what if it’s “weird,” which is to say savory or feral, giving off scents of blood and bacon and cured meats, of ink and iodine and tarmacadam, flavors better stored in a dungeon instead of a cellar.

From Los Angeles Times

It turns out it’s short for tarmacadam, or tar-penetration macadam.

From Forbes

The common surfacing material Tarmac, short for tarmacadam, was developed by a Scot.

From Washington Times

The common surfacing material Tarmac, short for tarmacadam, was developed by a Scot.

From Seattle Times