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DictionaryasphaltRoad-paving material
noun / verb

asphalt

AS-fawlt/ˈæsfɔːlt/

A dark material used to pave roads and other surfaces.

The driveway's unfinished edge reveals small stones bound within the dark asphalt.

A freshly paved dark asphalt driveway, with a rough unfinished near edge that clearly exposes the small stones bound into the paving material.
Etymology
asphaltGreekasphalt, bitumen

The ancient name for bitumen or mineral pitch was extended to a paving composition of tar and gravel. The Greek word’s deeper origin is uncertain.

In context

Plantmix Asphalt Industry of Kentucky1:02
aggregate sizes that get used in asphalt mixes. These vary in diameter from one-and-a-half inches all the way down to a fine-grain sand and dust sized particles. Asphalt roads are designed for many different purposes.
What's In Asphalt?

More examples

  • Summer heat softened the asphalt.
  • They asphalted the parking area last year.
  • The workers are asphalting the narrow access lane.

Forms

asphalt · asphalts · asphalted · asphalting

Similar words

concrete
A different paving material using cement rather than bituminous binder.
bitumen
The sticky binder used in many asphalt mixtures.