cement

1 of 2

noun

ce·​ment si-ˈment 

 also  ˈsē-ment

1

a

: concrete

b

: a powder of alumina, silica, lime, iron oxide, and magnesium oxide burned together in a kiln and finely pulverized and used as an ingredient of mortar and concrete

also : any mixture used for a similar purpose

2

: a binding element or agency: such as

a

: a substance to make objects adhere to each other

b

: something serving to unite firmly

justice is the cement that holds a political community together

—R. M. Hutchins

3

: cementum

4

: a plastic composition made especially of zinc or silica for filling dental cavities

5

: the fine-grained groundmass or glass of a porphyry

cement

2 of 2

verb

cemented; cementing; cements

transitive verb

1

: to unite or make firm by or as if by cement

Pebbles were cemented together by clay.

has cemented his role as a leader on the team

—T. W. Smith

2

: to overlay with concrete

cemented the cellar floor

intransitive verb

: to become cemented

cementer noun

Synonyms

Noun

• adhesive
• bond
• glue
• size

Examples of cement in a Sentence

Noun

There is a layer of cement under the bricks.

what kind of cement works best on glass and pottery?

Verb

A win would cement her reputation as a strong competitor.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The Irish building-materials supplier said the assets comprise a cement plant, a network of terminals located on the Gulf of Mexico, as well as a portfolio of 20 ready-mixed concrete plants. —Anthony O. Goriainoff, WSJ, 21 Nov. 2023

Noura Atta, 47, and her five daughters sleep in the same cement room as Tarabin. —Hajar Harb, Washington Post, 15 Nov. 2023

On the climate side, roughly 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions come from cement manufacturing. —Erik Kobayashi-Solomon, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023

So why isn’t green cement the global norm in construction? —Peter Vanham, Fortune Europe, 8 Nov. 2023

Some nits are attached with cement so strong they have been found still stuck to ancient hair after 10,000 years. —Brian Handwerk, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Nov. 2023

That heat could then be used to, say, heat a limestone kiln to make cement. —TIME, 24 Oct. 2023

The bottom half of my lungs seemed to be filled with cement. —Moises Velasquez-Manoff, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2023

Then, chunks of material like rock and gravel are added, and the cement paste binds them into a concrete mass. —Maddie Burakoff, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2023

Verb

This further cemented the impression among many F1 fans that this race wasn't for them. —Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, 20 Nov. 2023

Ousting Tester also would cement a Republican lock on a state that voted overwhelmingly for Republican Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election. —Matthew Brown, Fortune, 20 Nov. 2023

Tate McRae is cementing her place in the spotlight. —Starr Bowenbank, Billboard, 17 Nov. 2023

The tool kit cemented the idea for many critics that the group supported Hamas, at least ideologically. —Alan Blinder, New York Times, 17 Nov. 2023

Hamilton talks about his first experiences with a camera, the cross-country hitchhiking trip that cemented his love with the lens and his early days at the rock magazine petri dish that was Crawdaddy. —Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Nov. 2023

For 15 years, Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe has delivered an unprecedented string of blockbusters — 32 in a row — to cement its place as the gold standard for franchise fare. —Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 13 Nov. 2023

In the short run, that may be good politics; Trump’s self-portrayal as a martyr appears to have cemented his hold on the Republican presidential nomination. —Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times, 12 Nov. 2023

Coco Gauff cemented her tennis star status this year. —Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 6 Nov. 2023

See More

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English sement, from Anglo-French ciment, from Latin caementum stone chips used in making mortar, from caedere to cut

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing cement

• ferro-cement
• rubber cement
• cement mixer
• portland cement

• ferro-cement
• rubber cement
• cement mixer
• portland cement

Kids Definition

cement

1 of 2 noun

ce·​ment si-ˈment 

1

a

: concrete

b

: a fine powder that is produced from a burned mixture chiefly of clay and limestone and used as an ingredient of mortar and concrete

2

a

: a binding element or substance

b

: an adhesive substance

3

a

: cementum

b

: a material for filling cavities in teeth

cement

2 of 2 verb

1

: to unite by or as if by cement

cemented their friendship

2

: to cover with concrete

cementer noun

Medical Definition

cement

noun

ce·​ment si-ˈment 

1

: cementum

2

: a plastic composition made especially of zinc or silica for filling dental cavities