hazmat

noun, often attributive haz·mat \ ˈhaz-ˌmat \

|Updated on: 23 Jul 2018

Definition of hazmat

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

hazmat was our Word of the Day on 01/03/2007. Hear the podcast!

Recent Examples of hazmat from the Web

Helicopter footage by a news crew showed about two dozen people standing outside one of the hospital’s buildings, with some dressed in hazmat suits.

— Fox News, "Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore evacuated due to possible TB exposure," 6 July 2018
But now more than 100 detectives from the counter-terrorism network are once again sealing off key areas, donning hazmat suits and trying to determine how the Novichok nerve agent has harmed people on British soil once again.

— sabra ayres, latimes.com, "U.K. official accuses Russia of dumping poison in Britain," 5 July 2018
Harford County officials requested some Abingdon residents to shelter in place Friday while a hazmat team worked to clean up a liquid spill inside of a house.

— nicholas bogel-burroughs, The Aegis, "Liquid spill in Harford County home brings hazmat crew, shelter in place warning," 22 June 2018
No longer were forensics experts in oversize hazmat suits combing the area for an invisible killer developed by the Soviet Union in Cold War times.

— Washington Post, "UK town faces new reality: Another nerve agent poisoning," 6 July 2018
The hazmat crew had entered the building and was trying to determine what caused so many to suffer breathing problems, nausea and possible loss of consciousness.

— CBS News, ""Mass hysteria" at e-cigarette plant, 20 hospitalized," 25 June 2018
The building was evacuated as the fire department and a hazmat team responded.

— Fox News, "Officials: Chlorine leak sparks hazmat response; 30 sickened," 25 June 2018
Many law enforcement agencies are no longer testing drugs in the field because of safety concerns, and are sending officers in hazmat suits to drug overdose sites.

— katie zezima, chicagotribune.com, "U.S. House passes bipartisan package to fight opioid crisis," 23 June 2018
The hazmat team found Freon, a slightly toxic compound used in cooling systems, in the air.

— michael katz, idahostatesman, "Rocky Mountain classroom evacuated; traces of slightly toxic chemical found," 30 May 2018

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

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").

Origin and Etymology of hazmat

hazardous material

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1972

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

Medical Dictionary

hazmat

noun, often attributive haz·mat \ ˈhaz-ˌmat \

medical Definition of hazmat

: 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