rhizoverbBeta
Dictionarycementbuilding binder
noun / verb

cement

sih-MENT/sɪˈment/

A material that hardens to bind surfaces together.

Fine gray cement powder fills the open sack beside the scoop.

An open paper sack filled with fine gray cement powder, with a scoopful and a small powder spill prominently visible.
Etymology
cementLatinstone chips used for mortar

Caementum named stone chips used in making mortar. The meaning shifted from small broken stones to powdered stone used in construction, yielding the name of the binding material.

In context

HISTORY15:50
Mountains of sand, cement, and gravel were floated to the construction site in a nonstop armada of barges. Then offloaded into enormous concrete mixing facilities, built exclusively for the bridge project.
Colossal Construction of the Golden Gate Bridge | Modern Marvels (S2, E6) | Full Episode | History

More examples

  • They cement the loose tiles back into place.
  • The shared project cemented their friendship.
  • Water turns the dry cement into a workable paste.

Forms

cement · cements · cemented · cementing

Similar words

concrete
Usually combines cement with aggregate rather than being the binder alone.
adhesive
A broader bonding material that need not be mineral-based.