Asphalt
/ˈæsˌfɔːlt/
nounBeginnerCommonGeneral
Meaning
Questions
Definitions
1
A dark brown or black cementitious material, a viscous or solid form of bitumen, used in road construction.
/ˈæsˌfɔːlt/
nounneutralBeginner
General
A dark, sticky substance used for paving roads.
The workers laid down a new layer of asphalt.
💡 Simply: The black stuff roads are made of.
More Examples
2
The hot asphalt smelled strongly.
How It's Used
Construction
"The road was resurfaced with a fresh layer of asphalt."
Civil Engineering
"The project required extensive asphalt paving."
From Greek *asphaltos*, meaning "mineral pitch". The word's origins trace back to ancient times, reflecting its use in construction and waterproofing.
Asphalt has been used in construction since ancient times, with evidence of its use found in Mesopotamia and other ancient civilizations.
Memory tip
Think 'asphalt' as 'a-safe-path' – it makes roads safe.
Practice
Base: asphalt
asfaltasphaultasphalte
Usage
20%Spoken
80%Written