Definition of macadam
: macadamized roadway or pavement especially with a bituminous binder
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Recent Examples of macadam from the Web
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The macadam on Tenth Street comes out of the winter in wretched condition.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'macadam.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
John Loudon McAdam and macadam
In 1783, inventor John Loudon McAdam returned to his native Scotland after amassing a fortune in New York City. He became the road trustee for his district and quickly set his inventiveness to remedying the terrible condition of local roads. After numerous experiments, he created a new road surfacing material made of bits of stone that became compressed into a solid mass as traffic passed over them. His invention revolutionized road construction and transportation, and engineers and the public alike honored him by using his name (respelled macadam) as a generic term for the material or pavement made from it. He is further immortalized in the verb macadamize, which names the process of installing macadam on a road.
Origin and Etymology of macadam
John L. McAdam †1836 British engineer
MACADAM Defined for English Language Learners
Definition of macadam for English Language Learners
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: a road surface made with a dark material that contains small broken stones
MACADAM Defined for Kids
Definition of macadam for Students
: a road surface made of small closely packed broken stone
Learn More about macadam
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Spanish Central: Translation of macadam Nglish: Translation of macadam for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about macadam
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