noun
tabby
A concrete made from shells, lime, sand, and water.
Shell fragments show through the tabby in the old wall.
Etymology
Probably connected with Spanish tapia, through a colonial building-material term. It is separate from tabby cloth and tabby cats.
More examples
- Workers mix shells, lime, sand, and water to make tabby.
- The crew repairs the damaged tabby with a matching mixture.
- These tabby foundations support the remains of a coastal house.
Similar words
- concrete
- Concrete is broader and need not contain shells.