Tarmac
a brand of bituminous binder, similar to tarmacadam, for surfacing roads, airport runways, parking areas, etc.
Tarmac
American
[tahr-mak]
/ ˈtɑr mæk /
Trademark.
noun
-
(lowercase) a road, airport runway, parking area, etc., paved with Tarmac, tarmacadam, or a layer of tar.
-
(lowercase) a layer or covering of Tarmac, tarmacadam, or tar.
tarmac
British
/ ˈtɑːmæk /
noun
-
Full name: tarmacadam. a paving material that consists of crushed stone rolled and bound with a mixture of tar and bitumen, esp as formerly used for a road, airport runway, etc See also macadam
-
a runway at an airport
on the tarmac at Nairobi airport
verb
Explanation
If your airplane is on the tarmac, that means you're either just about to take off or you've just landed. Either way, the tarmac is the paved runway at the airport. The term tarmac refers to the area of an airport where airplanes taxi, or pull up to a gate, or head out to the runway. The runway itself is also called the tarmac. The name comes from a specific tar-based paving material that's also commonly used on roads. Originally, the word was trademarked as shorthand for tarmacadam, "tar mixed with crushed rock."
Vocabulary lists containing tarmac
A Long Way Home
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
A Man Called Ove
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
My Name Is Not Easy
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
In a brief Tarmac Q&A with traveling press on Thursday—a minimal effort to relieve growing tensions about her availability—Harris said that she wants “to get an interview scheduled before the end of the month.”
From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2024
When it comes to cycling, Wellingborough doesn't exactly lay out the red Tarmac.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2020
Tarmac softens in hot weather which would likely cause a heavy airplane to sink into it.
From Forbes ● Sep. 18, 2014
Airbus owns a stake in Tarmac Aerosave, a French company that stores, repairs and tears down aircraft.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 10, 2014
Tarmac The line of departure on the field.
From Aces Up by Covington Clarke
Happy ending for stray pup that sparked wild tarmac chase.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026
Phil White from Bexhill told BBC Your Voice that his flight to Lanzarote boarded on time but has been sitting on the tarmac at Gatwick for hours.
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
Areti Anastopoulos, an air traffic controller for more than 30 years, helps approaching pilots to line up their planes, one behind the other, before they touch down on the tarmac.
From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026
Kometer said it should be a tarmac rally stage while professional stunt driver and Long Beach local Sarah Fairfield, who piloted the second ’26 MX-5 on this trip, equated it to a roller coaster.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
We all screamed until we met a big bounce against the tarmac followed by smaller bounces and bumps.
From "P.S. Be Eleven" by Rita Williams-Garcia
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
