I. tar ‧ mac 1 /ˈtɑːmæk $ ˈtɑːr-/ BrE AmE noun trademark
[ Date: 1900-2000 ; Origin: Tarmac , a trademark, from tarmacadam 'tarmac' (19-20 centuries) , from tar + macadam 'smooth hard road surface' (19-20 centuries) (from John L. McAdam (1756-1836), Scottish engineer who invented the process) ]
1 . ( also tar‧ma‧cad‧am British English /ˌtɑːməˈkædəm $ ˌtɑːr- $ ˌtɑːr-/) [uncountable] a mixture of ↑ tar and very small stones, used for making the surface of roads SYN asphalt
2 . the tarmac an area covered with tarmac outside airport buildings
on the tarmac
Journalists waited on the tarmac to question him.
II. tarmac 2 BrE AmE verb ( past tense and past participle tarmacked , present participle tarmacking ) [transitive]
to cover a road’s surface with tarmac