[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/bitumen/)

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# bitumen

noun (bitumen, uncountable)

«bitumen» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A black, sticky, tar-like substance made from oil, used to make road surfaces and waterproof roofs. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bitumen/#m1)
2. (Australia, New Zealand) The tarred surface of a road; also called "the bitumen". [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bitumen/#m2)

### In the lessons

In science lessons about materials and oil it is a material that is waterproof and sticky when hot and hard when cool. In Australia and New Zealand people say "the bitumen" for a sealed road compared with a dirt road. In history, bitumen was used to waterproof boats and in ancient building. Phrases: "on the bitumen" (Australia), "bitumen roof".

### Examples

- The workers spread hot bitumen on the road. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bitumen/#x1)
- Bitumen keeps the roof dry. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bitumen/#x2)
- In Australia we drove off the bitumen onto a dusty track. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bitumen/#x3)
- Bitumen gets soft and sticky on very hot days. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bitumen/#x4)
- Ancient people used bitumen to seal their boats. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bitumen/#x5)
- Do not touch hot bitumen; it can burn your skin. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bitumen/#x6)

### Note

Uncountable: "some bitumen". Pronounced "BITCH-oo-men" or "BIT-yoo-men". Americans usually say "asphalt" or "blacktop"; British people often say "tarmac" for the road surface. Hot bitumen is dangerous.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «bitumen» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bitumen/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«bitumen» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/bitumen.html) on Mova free.