ASBESTOS

[as.bes.tos] n [ME albestron mineral supposed to be inextinguishable when set on fire, prob. fr. MF, fr. ML asbeston, alter. of L asbestos, fr. Gk, unslaked lime, fr. asbestos inextinguishable, fr. a- + sbennynai to quench] (1607): any of several minerals (as chrysotile) that readily separate into long flexible fibers, that have been implicated as causes of certain cancers, and that have been used esp. formerly as fireproof insulating materials