bitumen

noun

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bi·tu·men | \ bə-ˈtyü-mən

, bī-, -ˈtü-, especially British also ˈbit-yə- \

Definition of bitumen

1 : an asphalt of Asia Minor used in ancient times as a cement and mortar

2 : any of various mixtures of hydrocarbons (such as tar) often together with their nonmetallic derivatives that occur naturally or are obtained as residues after heat-refining natural substances (such as petroleum) specifically : such a mixture soluble in carbon disulfide

Other Words from bitumen Example Sentences Learn More about bitumen

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Other Words from bitumen

bituminization \ bə-ˌtyü-mə-nə-ˈzā-shən

, bī- , -ˌtü- \ noun

bituminize \ bə-ˈtyü-mə-ˌnīz

, bī- , -ˈtü- \ transitive verb

Examples of bitumen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Shipping bitumen by rail or tanker would result in 28% to 42% higher CO2 emissions and more leaks. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "Biden’s Keystone Pipeline Kill," 20 Jan. 2021 Trains would carry various commodities, like bitumen, grain, fertilizer, pipe, containers and sulfur as well as passengers, Treadwell said. — Morgan Krakow, Anchorage Daily News, "Trump tweets intent to issue permit for rail line connecting Alaska to Canada and Lower 48," 27 Sep. 2020 The binding agent in traditional asphalt paving is a black sticky substance called bitumen, produced by oil refining. — Lindsey Mcginnis, The Christian Science Monitor, "Points of Progress: Building a recycled highway, and more," 14 Sep. 2020 Monty threw that carburetor across the driveway and down the street, crashing into the bitumen and fully unbuckling in front of the townhouse where my aunt, just a few years ago, used to live. — Nicole Walker, Longreads, "(Who Gets to) Just Up and Move," 10 Aug. 2020 Ours is bare, with a rubbery gray coating occasionally interrupted by strips of plain black bitumen. — Kate Knibbs, Wired, "Quarantined in New York, We Escape Skyward," 23 June 2020 And in the Bible, Noah sealed his arc with bitumen to make the vessel more hydrodynamic. — Adrienne Bernhard, Popular Mechanics, "How the Obscure Science of Rubbing Built the Past and Will Shape the Future," 7 Apr. 2020 Instead, oil companies must steam or mine a sticky, tar-like substance called bitumen out of the ground. — Michael J. Coren, Quartz, "Covid-19 is closing Canada’s carbon-intensive oil sands for business," 29 Apr. 2020 But in addition to being a fossil fuel, bitumen is difficult to extract and energy-intensive to process. — Clifford Krauss, New York Times, "Canada Oil-Sands Plan Collapses Over Politics and Economics," 24 Feb. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bitumen.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.