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

Men in hazmat suits arrive, transporting his corpse to an incinerator, where his body is burned. —Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Mar. 2026

Disneyland temporarily closed a large part of Tomorrowland on Tuesday after a hazmat incident near Star Tours and Space Mountain caused several employees to feel dizzy and have trouble breathing. —Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 10 Mar. 2026

Both teens wore white hazmat suits and handcuffs connected to a chain around their waists and appeared nervous at their Manhattan Federal Court arraignment Monday. —Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 9 Mar. 2026

Workers in white hazmat suits moved piles of rubbish into trucks. —Caroline Silva, AJC.com, 7 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

hazardous material

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hazmat

• begat
• bobcat
• chitchat
• doormat
• ducat
• eclat
• format
• muskrat
• nonfat
• polecat
• thereat
• tomcat

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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