BITUMEN


Meaning of BITUMEN in English

/ ˈbɪtʃəmən; NAmE bəˈtuːmən; -ˈtjuː-/ noun [ U ]

1.

a black sticky substance obtained from oil, used for covering roads or roofs

2.

( AustralE , informal ) the surface of a road that is covered with tar :

a kilometre and a half of bitumen

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WORD ORIGIN

late Middle English (denoting naturally occurring asphalt used as mortar): from Latin .

Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне.