Asphalt

Pronunciation: /ˈæsˌfɔlt/

Definitions of asphalt

noun A black or dark brown solid substance consisting of a mixture of hydrocarbons obtained by distillation of petroleum or shale, used in paving, roofing, and waterproofing.

Example Sentences

A1 The road was made of black asphalt.

A2 The workers are laying down fresh asphalt on the street.

B1 The heat caused the asphalt to soften and stick to my shoes.

B2 The asphalt used in this construction project is top quality.

C1 The city council approved the budget for repaving the asphalt roads.

C2 The asphalt industry is constantly evolving with new technologies and materials.

Examples of asphalt in a Sentence

formal The workers were busy laying down fresh asphalt on the road.

informal Watch out for the hot asphalt on the street, it can stick to your shoes.

slang I can't stand the smell of that new asphalt, it's so strong.

figurative The project hit an asphalt wall when funding was cut off unexpectedly.

Grammatical Forms of asphalt

• past tense: asphalted
• plural: asphalts
• comparative: more asphalt
• superlative: most asphalt
• present tense: asphalts
• future tense: will asphalt
• perfect tense: has asphalted
• continuous tense: is asphalting
• singular: asphalt
• positive degree: asphalt
• infinitive: to asphalt
• gerund: asphalting
• participle: asphalted

Origin and Evolution of asphalt

First Known Use: 1275 year

Language of Origin: Ancient Greek

Story behind the word: The word 'asphalt' is derived from the Ancient Greek word 'asphalton', which means 'secure' or 'firm'. It was later adapted into Latin as 'asphaltum'.

Evolution of the word: Originally used to refer to a natural tar-like substance found in nature, the term 'asphalt' has evolved to also include the modern pavement material made from a mixture of bitumen and mineral aggregate.