cement

[ si-ment ]

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.

verb (used with object)

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)

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

cement

/ 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. See cementum
   another word for cementum

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

Derived Forms

• ceˈmenter, noun

Other Words From

• ce·menta·ble adjective
• ce·menter noun
• ce·mentless adjective
• rece·ment verb
• well-ce·mented adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cement¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of cement¹

C13: from Old French ciment, from Latin caementum stone from the quarry, from caedere to hew

Example Sentences

Being authentic cements stronger relationships and higher engagement, which are critical to opening up opportunities for all.

From Fortune

In real life, making urea cement will probably be more complicated than just peeing in a bucket, says Belinda Rich.

From Science News For Students

They topped off this mix with some water to make the cement.

From Science News For Students

For instance, it might prevent clogs in tubes that carry cement.

From Science News For Students

In all of these products, adding graphene would reduce the overall amount of plastic or cement that would be needed for some application.

From Science News For Students

He was pinned to the cement for his refusal to go along with an arrest for selling loose cigarettes.

From The Daily Beast

Holding the architectural smorgasbord of a castle together was cement, wire, and mortar.

From The Daily Beast

More recently, the rows of red and gray cement housing project blocks that sprouted up in the 1980s dominate the view.

From The Daily Beast

And to check out this 100-year-old steel and cement engineering marvel.

From The Daily Beast

Death waits for these things as a cement floor waits for a dropping light bulb.

From The Daily Beast

It is sometimes asked, cannot “Analysis” cement together unconnected “Extremes”?

From Project Gutenberg

Delancy turned the sedan through the door of the big garage, rolled across the wide parking floor to the cement ramp at the rear.

From Project Gutenberg

He washed the cement floor with the hose, and while waiting for it to dry he rinsed his brushes in turpentine.

From Project Gutenberg

This is the material of the celebrated Roman cement, which holds together to this day the massy structures of ancient Rome.

From Project Gutenberg

The pillars and walls are covered with a white cement, which is equal to marble for its polish.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• adhesive
• mud
• plaster
• sand