tarmac

1 of 2

noun

tar·​mac ˈtär-ˌmak How to pronounce tarmac (audio)
: a tarmacadam road, apron, or runway

Tarmac

2 of 2

trademark

used for a bituminous binder for roads

Examples of tarmac in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Other detainees were also slated to be removed from the facility as well, including at least one individual who had been brought onto a tarmac with Sakeik in June, according to court documents. Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 1 July 2025 Augusta Regional’s limited infrastructure and crowded tarmacs—especially with that swarm of private jets mentioned earlier—presents real logistical constraints. Mike Dojc, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025 More footage from the crash showed passengers climbing out of the aircraft and stepping out onto a snowy tarmac, where powerful winds whipped past. Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2025 Last week, ahead of the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, Al Udeid saw many of the transport planes, fighter jets and drones typically on its tarmac dispersed. Preston Fore, Fortune, 24 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for tarmac

Word History

Etymology

Noun

from Tarmac, a trademark

First Known Use

Noun

1919, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tarmac was in 1919

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tarmac.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tarmac. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

tarmac

noun
tar·​mac ˈtär-ˌmak How to pronounce tarmac (audio)
: a road, apron, or runway paved with layers of crushed stone covered with tar

More from Merriam-Webster on tarmac

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