asbestos

Or as·bes·tus

[as-bes-tuhs, az-]

noun

1. Mineralogy.,  a fibrous mineral, either amphibole or chrysotile, formerly used for making incombustible or fireproof articles.

2. a fabric woven from asbestos fibers, formerly used for theater curtains, firefighters' gloves, etc.

3. Theater.,  a fireproof curtain.

asbestos

/ -təs, æsˈbɛstɒs /

noun

1. 1. any of the fibrous amphibole and serpentine minerals, esp chrysotile and tremolite, that are incombustible and resistant to chemicals. It was formerly widely used in the form of fabric or board as a heat-resistant structural material

   2. ( as modifier )

      asbestos matting

asbestos

1. Any of several fibrous mineral forms of magnesium silicate. Asbestos is resistant to heat, flames, and chemical action. Some forms have been shown to cause lung diseases. For this reason, asbestos is no longer used to make insulation, fireproofing material, and brake linings.

Other Word Forms

• asbestine adjective
• asbestous adjective
• asbestoid adjective
• asbestoidal adjective
• nonasbestine adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of asbestos¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Latin, from Greek: literally, “unquenched, inextinguishable” from a- a- ⁶ + sbestós “quenched, extinguished” (from sbennýnai “to quench”); replacing Middle English asbeston, albeston, from Middle French, from Latin

Word History and Origins

Origin of asbestos¹

C14 (originally applied to a mythical stone the heat of which could not be extinguished): via Latin from Greek: from asbestos inextinguishable, from _a- ¹ + sbennunai to extinguish

Example Sentences

A recall for the products, which were found to have traces of asbestos in some samples, was issued by Kmart and Target on Saturday.

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About 30 schools in Australia have been fully or partially closed after a warning over asbestos risks in children's sand.

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The World Health Organization classifies alcohol as a Group 1 carcinogen, the same level of risk as tobacco, asbestos, and radiation.

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The phase of work launched in June 2025, which included asbestos removal, was practically complete.

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A recent lawsuit in the UK picked up on those claims, accusing Johnson & Johnson of knowingly selling baby powder contaminated with asbestos for decades.

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