cement

American  

[si-ment] / sɪˈmɛnt /

noun

1. any of various calcined mixtures of clay and limestone, usually mixed with water and sand, gravel, etc., to form concrete, that are used as a building material.

2. any of various soft, sticky substances that dry hard or stonelike, used especially for mending broken objects or for making things adhere.

3. Petrography. the compact groundmass surrounding and binding together the fragments of clastic rocks.

4. anything that binds or unites.

   Time is the cement of friendship.

5. Dentistry.

   1. a hardening, adhesive, plastic substance, used in the repair of teeth for anchoring fillings or inlays, for filling, or for fastening crowns.

   2. Informal. cementum.

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verb (used with object)

cements, present (3rd person singular) cemented, past participle, past cementing present participle

1. to unite by or as if by cement.

   to cement stones to form a wall; to cement a relationship.

   Synonyms:

   secure, fuse, bind, join, merge

2. to coat or cover with cement.

   to cement a floor.

verb (used without object)

cements, present (3rd person singular) cemented, past participle, past cementing present participle

1. to become cemented; join together or unite; cohere.

cement British  

/ sɪˈmɛnt /

noun

1. a fine grey powder made of a mixture of calcined limestone and clay, used with water and sand to make mortar, or with water, sand, and aggregate, to make concrete

2. a binder, glue, or adhesive

3. something that unites or joins; bond

4. dentistry any of various materials used in filling teeth

5. mineral matter, such as silica and calcite, that binds together particles of rock, bones, etc, to form a solid mass of sedimentary rock

6. another word for cementum

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verb

1. to reinforce or consolidate

   once a friendship is cemented it will last for life

2. to join, bind, or glue together with or as if with cement

3. to coat or cover with cement

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• recement
  verb
• cementable
  adjective
• well-cemented
  adjective
• cementless
  adjective
• cementer
  noun

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has cemented
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have cemented
  perfect
• have been cementing
  perfect progressive
• are cementing
  progressive
• has been cementing
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• cements
  singular 3rd person
• is cementing
  progressive 3rd person singular
• am cementing
  progressive 1st person singular
• cementing
  participle

Past

• had cemented
  perfect
• was cementing
  progressive singular
• had been cementing
  perfect progressive
• cemented
  simple
• cemented
  participle
• were cementing
  progressive plural

Future

• will cement
  simple
• will have cemented
  perfect
• will be cementing
  progressive
• will have been cementing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of cement

1250–1300; < Latin cēmentum, variant of caementum (singular of caementa unprocessed cuttings from the quarry, i.e., rough stone and chips) < *caed-mentom, equivalent to caed ( ere ) to cut + -mentum -ment; replacing Middle English cyment < Old French ciment < Latin, as above

Explanation

Cement is a material that's used to build very strong, hard surfaces and structures. Cement is an ingredient in both mortar, which holds bricks together, and concrete, with which dams and roads and buildings are constructed. Cement begins as a powder made of clay and limestone, and after it's mixed with water and, often, sand, it's used to strengthen and bind things — as the mixture dries, it becomes hard and solid. A version of cement has been around since the third century BCE, in Mesopotamia. The word comes from the Latin root cæmenta, "stone chips for making mortar," from caedere, "to cut or chop."

Example Sentences

Hit action films such as "Animal", "Dhurandhar" and the "Pushpa" series have helped cement the dominance of violent action cinema in Bollywood.

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

The council said the illegally dumped waste included commercial and household debris, such as "tyres, plasterboard, cement bags, household white goods, and tonnes of loose refuse".

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026

It raised cement prices in most of its markets last month.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026

If successful, the listing of the rocket and satellite giant would dwarf any IPO in history and cement Musk's status as one of the most consequential entrepreneurs of his generation.

From Barron's • May 20, 2026

The smooth cement of the walkway, still warm from the hot November day, comes through the holes in the bottom of my shoes.

From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko

Related Words

• adhesive
• mud
• plaster
• sand