asbestos

American  

[as-bes-tuhs, az-] / æsˈbɛs təs, æz- /

Or asbestus

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.

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asbestos British  

/ -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

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asbestos Scientific  

/ ăs-bĕs′təs /

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.

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Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of asbestos

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

Explanation

Asbestos is a fibrous mineral used mainly in making fireproof material. Inhaling asbestos can cause health problems such as lung cancer. Have you ever heard about people removing asbestos from a building? That's because this material — which is a fibrous amphibole used because it's fireproof — has been found to be very bad for people's health when inhaled. If you inhale bits of asbestos, which flake off over time, you could get lung cancer, a disease caused asbestosis, or other respiratory problems. Like a lot of things, it took time for people to realize asbestos was doing more harm than good.

Example Sentences

The World Health Organization counts UV-emitting tanning beds as a Group 1 carcinogen, alongside other known human carcinogens like tobacco cigarettes and asbestos.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

Bradford supports the legislation but wants to make sure that it does not lead to litigation from owners of older homes already contaminated by lead paint and asbestos.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

They are the latest in a string of children's products recalled due to the risk of asbestos contamination this year, which consumer group Which? called a "worrying trend".

From BBC • May 1, 2026

Two Crayola craft boxes for children have been withdrawn and a recall issued over concerns sand in the kits may be contaminated with asbestos.

From BBC • May 1, 2026

Even Sycorax and Caliban scampered back up to their asbestos ceiling tiles.

From "The Wednesday Wars" by Gary D. Schmidt