bitumen
Americannoun
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any of various natural substances, as asphalt, maltha, or gilsonite, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons.
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(formerly) an asphalt of Asia Minor used as cement and mortar.
noun
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any of various viscous or solid impure mixtures of hydrocarbons that occur naturally in asphalt, tar, mineral waxes, etc: used as a road surfacing and roofing material
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the constituents of coal that can be extracted by an organic solvent
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any liquid suitable for coating aggregates
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informal any road with a bitumen surface
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informal (capital) the road in the Northern Territory between Darwin and Alice Springs
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a transparent brown pigment or glaze made from asphalt
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of bitumen
1425–75; late Middle English bithumen < Latin bitūmen
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
To produce oil there, the industry separates heavy oil, or bitumen, from the sands through an underground process that uses steam.
From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026
It is more breathable but is often installed where a highly-resistant underlay like bitumen felt is already present, stopping vapour from escaping.
From BBC • Nov. 17, 2024
Volatile dilutants added to the heavy bitumen from Alberta enable it to flow through the pipeline.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 4, 2024
Veniamin Kondratyev, the head of the regional government, said the Ukrainians drones had targeted two oil refineries, a bitumen plant, and a military airfield in Kuban.
From New York Times • Apr. 27, 2024
Our men took the opportunity of collecting the bitumen and rolling it into balls for future use, as it is esteemed a good remedy for dyspepsia and "bad blood."
From Journeys in Persia and Kurdistan, Volume II (of 2) Including a Summer in the Upper Karun Region and a Visit to the Nestorian Rayahs by Bird, Isabella L. (Isabella Lucy)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
