tarmac

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) Tarmacadam.
2. (Canada, Ireland, UK, broadly, countable, uncountable) Any bituminous road surfacing material.
3. (Canada, Ireland, UK, countable, uncountable) The driveable surface of a road.
4. (countable, informal, uncountable) The area of an airport, other than the runway, where planes park or maneuver.

Verb

1. (British, Canada) To pave with tarmacadam or a similar material.
2. To spend time idling on a runway, usually waiting for takeoff clearance.

Synonyms

tarmacadam

asphalt

macadamize

macadamise

asphalt concrete

macadam

blacktop

pave

tarviated macadam

runway

blacktopping

tarmacadam road

Translations

asfalt

Asphalt

asfalto

asphalte

asfalto

asfalto

macadame

asfalt

bitumen

Teermakadam

bitume

macadamiser

piste d’envol

Rollfeld

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈtɑː(ɹ)mæk/

Etymology

Clipping of tarmacadam, which is from tar + macadam (“crushed stones”). Originally a trademark owned by its inventor, Edgar Hooley.