hazmat

noun

haz·​mat ˈhaz-ˌmat 

often attributive

: a material (such as flammable or poisonous material) that would be a danger to life or to the environment if released without precautions

Did you know?

The origin of "hazmat" is clear enough - it was formed by combining the first three letters of each of two words: "hazardous" and "material." The word hazmat is fairly young, first appearing in print in 1980. Although it is a noun, "hazmat" tends to be used attributively, meaning that it often appears in sentences before another noun as if it were performing the duties of an adjective (as in "hazmat team" and "hazmat worker").

Examples of hazmat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

On Thursday afternoon, crews dressed in white hazmat suits with respirators walked streets near the hangar collecting debris in trash bags. —Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 19 Nov. 2023

For that reveal, Jordan stood onstage in a full, yellow hazmat suit and answered fan questions about his identity using a voice changer. —Lindsay Kimble, Peoplemag, 6 Nov. 2023

These whiskeys are strong but never hazmat proof, and most taste even better after adding a few drops of water or a large ice cube. —Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 22 Oct. 2023

Officers in hazmat suits were soon removing drug paraphernalia from a work shed — Pyrex coffee pots, hot plates, batteries, glass tubing — and laying it on the driveway to photograph. —Photographs Todd Heisler, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2023

By the same token, trapping a bunch of sweat underneath a hazmat suit could leave you susceptible to heat illnesses. —WIRED, 30 Sep. 2023

Men in white hazmat suits pour lime over the brown soil to seal the graves. —Sarah Sirgany, CNN, 18 Sep. 2023

Masks and even hazmat suits will likely be a common sight once cleanup commences, Poentis said. —Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 8 Sep. 2023

Perhaps the epic tale of the Diarrhea Plane will convince the administration to recommend a hazmat suit or two. —Darren Orf, Popular Mechanics, 7 Sep. 2023

See More

Word History

Etymology

hazardous material

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined above

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Medical Definition

hazmat

noun

haz·​mat

ˈhaz-ˌmat

often attributive

: a material (as radioactive, flammable, explosive, or poisonous material) that would be a danger to life or to the environment if released without necessary precautions being taken

toxic waste hauled away by workers in hazmat suits

—Tom Spousta

hazmat storage