pozzolana

noun

poz·​zo·​la·​na ˌpät-sə-ˈlä-nə How to pronounce pozzolana (audio)
variants or pozzolan
: finely divided siliceous or siliceous and aluminous material that reacts chemically with slaked lime at ordinary temperature and in the presence of moisture to form a strong slow-hardening cement
pozzolanic adjective

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web The ancient Romans did something similar, using volcanic ash in their pozzolana concrete, examples of which have lasted thousands of years. IEEE Spectrum, 4 June 2018 And so Giocondo built structures that mixed lime and pozzolana, as Vitruvius instructed. Jonathan Schifman, Popular Mechanics, 12 Oct. 2017 Clay was a major component, and a volcanic ash, today called pozzolana, was also used. Jonathan Schifman, Popular Mechanics, 12 Oct. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pozzolana.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Italian pozzolana

First Known Use

1684, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pozzolana was in 1684

Dictionary Entries Near pozzolana

Cite this Entry

“Pozzolana.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pozzolana. Accessed 7 Jun. 2023.

More from Merriam-Webster on pozzolana

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!