Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Topic: ROADS

Date: 1900-2000
Origin: Tarmac, a trademark, from tarmacadam 'tarmac' (19-20 centuries), from tar + macadam 'smooth hard road surface' (19-20 centuries) (from John L. McAdam (1756-1836), Scottish engineer who invented the process)

tarmac

1 noun
     
tar‧mac1 trademark
1 also tar‧ma‧cad‧am British English [uncountable]TTR a mixture of tar and very small stones, used for making the surface of roads [= asphalt]
2

the tarmac

TTA an area covered with tarmac outside airport buildings
on the tarmac
Journalists waited on the tarmac to question him.
Definition of tarmac from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English within
the topic ROADS
Word of the Day
The ROADS
Word of the Day is:
taxi rank

Other related topics